AN: I've been itching to get something posted...and after fifteen hours in a car, this is what I've got. No romance, just a sweet friendship between eleven year old Barry and Iris!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash.
"Joe..." Barry's quiet voice called, the boy tucked into his bed. Joe froze in the doorway and turned to look at him. It wasn't often Barry addressed him by his name -or even by any name.
"Yes, son?" Joe said, and immediately saw in Barry's face that this was not the right thing to say. Barry flinched at the word "son", and Joe almost flinched himself. Joe had only had Barry in his custody a week, but that was enough to know that Barry did not think of Joe as a father.
Barry seemed to struggle to push it aside as he spoke, "Could -could you leave the light on?"
"Yeah; yeah, I'll leave it on. Goodnight, Barry," Joe said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice as he shut the door, not turning off the switch. He hung behind the closed door for a few seconds, waiting for the 'goodnight, Joe' that never came.
The storm started around eleven o clock that night, the lightning, rain and wind threatening the electricity. The rain poured against the windows, and Barry jerked the covers over his head the two times the lights flickered. The howling of the wind and the thunder's loud bark had jostled him, and he had been tossing and turning ever since.
In the room over, Iris could hear him shuffling. She knew Barry hated the dark -almost as much as he hated lightning. She could see the lights flickering from underneath the door. The tossing and turning continued, and she grabbed the Hello Kitty flashlight from her bedside table.
"Barry?" She called, knocking at his door, "Are you okay?"
She heard him hurry to look like he was sleeping. She shook her head.
"Barry, I know you're not asleep," She said, opening the door. She went over and sat on the side of his bed. Barry sat up, hugging his pillow to chest.
"I really hate the lightning. It's just like that night," Barry said, his voice trailing off as he looked at the window. He looked away quickly and flinched as lightning struck again.
Iris seemed to think for a moment, and extended her hand as she stood.
"Come on," She said. When Barry shot her a questioning look, she added, "You like hot chocolate, don't you?"
Barry's face took on a blank stare, and Iris sighed as she grabbed his wrist and tugged him upwards. She led him into the kitchen, sitting him down on a barstool as she poured a cup of milk and tore open a packet. While she waited for the microwave to finish, she sat down beside Barry.
"Are you okay, Barry?" She asked him, the microwave whirring and the rain pouring in the background.
Barry shook his head 'yes'. Which was a lie, Iris knew. Barry knew she wouldn't believe him, but, hey -it was worth a shot.
"It's perfectly fine if you're not," Iris said, "You can tell me,"
Barry never answered, but the silence seemed to speak for him.
Ding.
"I'll go get that," Iris said with a small smile, standing up, She walked back over with the mug, stirring the liquid inside of it.
Barry took the mug, sipping it slowly, "Thank you, Iris," he said, and he meant it.
"You're welcome, Barry," Iris said, giving him another smile.
Barry drained his cup in one last gulp and walked over to put the mug in the sink. Barry nodded toward Iris to say that he was ready to go back to bed now, and Iris started off down the hall. She walked straight past her room, turning into Barry's. Barry remembered that she had left her flashlight. He went to the bathroom while she looked. When he came back, he found that his blanket and pillows were gone, his bed only occupied by the sheets.
"Iris?" He called, "Did you take my blanket?"
He stepped into her room, and stopped in the doorway. On the floor, his blankets and pillows were arranged.
"You hate the lightning," Iris said, switching on her lamp as Barry settled into his pallet, "Want me to leave the light on?"
"No," Barry said, "No, I'm not scared,"
And he wasn't scared, because, as his mother had told him, he wasn't alone.