Barry is the second to arrive at the restaurant - which is weird, right? Because despite the fact that he has super speed, he still somehow manages to always be late.
A glance at his watch tells him it's quarter past seven - fifteen minutes after their arranged meeting time, and he quirks an eyebrow.
Yeah, something definitely isn't right here.
Eddie beams at him when he sees him approaching, though, and Barry's thankful that his legs don't turn to jelly right then and there, because every time Eddie gives him one of those looks, he feels himself go weak at the knees.
It's been going on for a few months now. He and Eddie have been spending more time together, and Barry has come to realise that he'd gone and developed feelings for the jerk.
Which is the story of Barry's life, really - developing feelings for people that can't return them.
First it was Iris - and he still feels a little bit of a bitter sting at her rejection, if he's being totally honest. Not that he regrets telling her how he felt. In hindsight, he should have done it years ago. It really has done wonders towards helping him get over it.
And then there's Eddie - and he wonders if maybe he's one of the reasons he doesn't find it so difficult to be around Iris these days. If anything, it's more difficult for him to be around Eddie, now.
So, yeah. Here he is, pining again, and he's sure that Eddie doesn't have the slightest clue.
His heart stutters in his chest as Eddie draws him into a warm hug, and it takes every ounce of restraint that Barry has to not lean into it too much - to not bury his nose in the crook of his neck, or grasp onto his shirt desperately.
Fuck, he's pathetic. He had promised himself he would never do this again after Iris - the whole silent pining act. What choice does he have, though? For one, Eddie has never shown the remotest inclination towards men, and two, he's his best friend's ex boyfriend, and that's pretty damn messed up.
All too soon, he steps back from the warmth radiating from Eddie's body, ignoring the sharp pang that he feels in his chest at the loss, or the fact that he suddenly feels as though he's walked into a freezer.
"Have you heard from the others?" Eddie asks, oblivious to Barry's internal struggle.
Barry frowns, glancing at his phone, then shakes his head. There's no new messages in their group chat, and no missed calls or texts, and yeah, something is definitely going on here. He begins to wonder if there's any possibility that both he and Eddie might have got their days mixed up, but he knows as soon as the thought crosses his mind that the chances are pretty slim.
He notices Eddie shiver a little, hunching in on himself, arms crossed and rubbing friction against his sleeves on his upper arms, and Barry's lips tilt into a frown.
He almost - almost takes a step forward in an absurd gesture to provide body heat, but he manages to stop himself just in time.
"Maybe we should wait inside," he suggests instead, and as Eddie's grin grows wider, it causes a swooping sensation in his stomach.
"Uhm."
Barry blinks as the waitress leads them through the restaurant, Eddie by his side looking equally perplexed.
The restaurant is lovely. A lot nicer than Barry had been expecting, really. Iris had picked it, claiming that she went with a few of her friends from work, and she'd really enjoyed the food there. The more and more Barry thinks about it, though, this is hardly the type of place you would bring your friends.
The tables are small and intimate – lined with white satin tablecloths, small vases of roses that are framed by two tea-light candles, and the dim lighting suggests a different atmosphere entirely. It's the type of place that you'd bring a date, he realises.
Panicked eyes dart to Eddie's, and he can tell by his deer-in-the-headlights expression that he's not alone on his train of thought, here.
Barry turns to the waitress, about to tell her that there's obviously been a mistake when they stop at a table for two, but his phone starts vibrating in his pocket furiously, and she smiles and excuses herself to fetch the menus before he can say anything.
He tugs his phone from his pocket, and swipes to view the messages, all from their group chat.
Cisco [Fri 19:25]: Haha, suckers!
Caitlin [Fri 19:26]: I just realised that I need to wash my hair tonight, you guys have fun ;)
Iris [Fri 19:26]: In case you haven't realised by now, it's just the two of you. Stop pretending that you're not into each other and enjoy your date, losers.
Barry stares at the messages bug-eyed, frozen to the spot. He's going to fucking destroy all of them. It was bad enough that he'd been pining in secret, but now? Now they've made it awkward as fuck, and god – Eddie probably knows now. He probably knows, and he's going to freak the fuck out.
Except he's shaken by his thoughts by a sheepish chuckle from Eddie's direction, and his eyes dart up to meet his in spite of himself.
He examines Eddie's expression for a few seconds, trying to gauge his reaction. He does look a little freaked out – but in addition to that, his cheeks are flushed, and he glances up at Barry with an apologetic smile. "Looks like we've been set up, huh?"
Barry nods, because he can't really think of what else to say right now. The air is thick around him, and he's completely stifled by it. He decides to settle for laughing it off, telling Eddie that they're obviously way off the mark and suggesting that they just go home, but before he can say anything, Eddie pulls one of the chairs back from the table, and lowers himself into the seat.
"Well? Are you going to sit down?" Eddie asks, an eyebrow raised in Barry's direction, as though he was the one acting out of sorts here.
His mouth flaps for a few seconds, before he decides that actions speak louder than words, and allows his legs to carry him rather automatically towards the chair. He takes his place in the seat directly across from Eddie, and fuck, these tables are so cramped – their legs brush together, and it sends a shiver up Barry's spine, but Eddie doesn't say anything.
The waitress returns to them with menus and announces that she'll give them some time to look over them. When she leaves, Barry chances another glance at Eddie, who is sitting watching him over his menu warily, and seriously, what the hell is going on right now?
Eddie folds his menu over with a sigh, gazing Barry with an open and earnest expression. "Look, Barry – I'm sorry about this. Iris keeps insisting that you like me back, and I guess she decided to take matters into her own hands, but I can tell by your reaction that you're uncomfortable. Do you want to leave?"
He barely hears most of the sentence through the blood pounding in his ears, but the one part of it echoes through him - Iris keeps insisting that you like me back.
"N-no. God, no," he replies shakily, letting himself relax in his chair, because holy shit, Eddie likes him. He takes a deep breath, and leans across the table to take Eddie's hand into his own. "I do. Like you, I mean. I- I just wasn't sure- I didn't, uhm, know that you-"
"That I liked guys?" Eddie teases, squeezing him gently, eyes crinkling at the sides. "And here I thought I was being obvious.
Iris [Sat 09:13]: Well?
Barry [Sat 10:10]: I'm going to kill you.
Iris [Sat 10:12]: Did it not go well?
Iris [Sat 10:17]: I'm guessing by your silence that's a no
Iris [Sat 10:17]: God I'm so sorry Barry, I really thought that it would have worked.
Iris [Sat 10:32]: Please talk to me?
Iris [Sat 11:12]: Barry if I don't hear from you in the next half an hour I'm going to drive over there and make you talk to me
Barry [Sat 11:17]: Shit Iris I'm so sorry! I got distracted. I was kidding. Thank you. It went well.
Barry [Sat 11:18]: Though you probably shouldn't come over, we're not really dressed for company
Iris [Sat 11:18]: Oh thank god, I was literally about to leave
Iris [Sat 11:20]: Wait
Iris [Sat 11:20]: We?
Iris [Sat 11:20]: WAIT
Iris [Sat 11:20]: HE'S AT YOUR APARTMENT ISN'T HE?
Eddie [Sat 11:21]: You guys know that this is the group chat, right? I can read everything. And also, Barry, get off facebook and hurry back with my breakfast, will you? ;)
Iris [Sat 11:22]: HOLY SHIT
Caitlin [Sat 11:23]: Yeah, guys. We can see everything. Congrats on the sex!
Cisco [Sat 11:24]: Dibs on wedding officiator.
Eddie lowers his phone as Barry walks back into the room, balancing a tray as carefully as he can, and he chuckles softly. "Well, I guess that takes care of telling our friends about us."
Barry ducks his head sheepishly, flushing a little as he places the tray on Eddie's lap. "I'm so sorry. I thought we were on private chat." He slides onto the bed across from the other man and sits cross-legged on top of the covers, a small frown on his lips. "You're not mad, are you?"
"No! God, no!" Eddie exclaims, almost choking on his toast. He sets the tray down on the side-table hastily and smooths his palm over Barry's cheek in a gentle caress, catching Barry's eyes with his own. "Did you think I was going to want to keep it a secret or something?"
"No, it's just- we hadn't really talked about it with all the- with- what we were doing last night."
"Yeah, we didn't really get the chance to talk about much." Eddie says as he leans over to press their lips together softly. Barry leans into it, his mouth parting with ease, allowing for their tongues to stoke together lazily, every movement causing the tingles on his body to dance all over.
They have plenty of time to talk it over, though – so Barry just lets himself envelope himself in everything Eddie – lets himself get lost in every open-mouthed kiss that Eddie nips into his skin, every stroke of his fingers as they explore his body with wonder, every adoring whisper Eddie murmurs into his neck as their bodies join together, and every groan and whimper Eddie makes when Barry tightens himself around him.
Their breakfast goes cold on the table, but neither of them can really find it in themselves to complain about it.