"Honey, I'm home!"

Caitlin greeted cheerfully as she closed the mahogany door behind her, chuckling slightly to herself at her own greeting. She and Barry had gotten used to tease each other by acting like an old suburban couple even though they were the complete opposite of it. For one, they're still too young (although Felicity and Cisco would always tell them that they act like an old married couple already) and two, their house is as modern as it can get.

She padded to the living room knowing that's where she would usually find her husband watching a replay of basketball or flipping through Netflix but she frowned when she stumbled upon the empty space. She settled her purse and phone down on the coffee table before calling out, "Bar?"

When she heard nothing in reply, she proceeded to his study, checking whether he decided to take some work home. The frown on her face deepened when she still couldn't find him there. She was about to go upstairs to the master's bedroom when she heard some clanking noise coming from the kitchen.

Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, she turned around to make a beeline to the kitchen, her curiosity growing as the noises were now joined with what she assumed to be a yelp and discreet curses coming from her husband.

"Ow-crap!" He hissed, completely frustrated with whatever it is that he's been experimenting as various ingredients occupied almost all of the space of the countertop.

Caitlin's light on her feet as she tiptoed passed the doorway, sneaking into their enormous kitchen to see what her husband's been busying himself with. She almost failed to stifle a laugh when she saw him - hair ruffled in disarray, necktie draped over one of his shoulders, his face scrunched up in frustration - a complete view of an annoyed mess but she finds it way too adorable since he has her pink floral apron on top of his long sleeves.

She leaned on the doorway as she amusedly watched the scene unfolding before her. Deciding to prolong the pleasure of watching her husband's rare display of irritation towards something so simple as cooking, she tried her best to contain her giggles but miserably failing when she watched him point an offended finger towards the boiling water and said,

"You're testing my patience here, mashed potato. I've been nothing but considerate of you, asking for a little bit of cooperation so I don't get why you still refuse to soften up! How about-"

His rant was interrupted by a fit of giggles coming from his wife, almost doubling over as she tried to keep her outburst under control. His initial shock was turned into disappointment knowing he wouldn't be able to hide his supposedly surprise dinner for her, let alone make something edible out of the mess he made.

"Babe! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be home by six?" He wipes his hands on the apron, kicking some of the fallen ingredients under the table trying to play it cool.

"It's almost seven, honey. And I believe I should be the one asking you that since the last time I checked, you and kitchen utensils don't get along very well." She took a step closer to him, reaching out to remove a potato skin from his hair.

"I was just...um.." He looked down at his feet, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Waging war with the mashed potatoes?" The teasing tone in her voice didn't go unnoticed by him, making his arm cross on top of the apron when she let out another batch of giggles.

He held her by the shoulders, pouting as he gently shove her out of the kitchen, "Okay, alright, that's it. You're getting out of my kitchen this instant."

She immediately turned around, glaring at him for that one particular word, "Your kitchen? No offense hub, but the only edible thing you can make out of my kitchen are pancakes. And I strongly believe it takes a lot more than that to have a claim to my territory."

"Woah, woah, hey! You sure know how to hurt a man's feelings, don't you Dr. Allen?"

"I was just stating facts." She shrugged.

"Why, you-"

Before he can retort to her challenging words, a loud beep from the oven startled them both. He quickly ran to the source of the sound, slightly panicking as thick black smoke started coming out of the oven. Without thinking straight, he opened it and tried to get the hot tray with his bare hands, his wife's dreaded warning came a bit too slow to his senses as his palms touched the stinging surface.

"Argh! Damn it!" He instantly pulled back, making him lose his balance as he tripped over some stray green peas on the floor. He finds himself falling to the ground but not before banging his head on the edge of the table.

"Oh my gosh, Barry!"

Caitlin is already by his side the moment his back touched the floor, assessing him quickly as she let her doctor instincts kick in. She cradled his head on her chest as she slowly pulled him to a sitting position.

"Hubby, you okay?" She asked worriedly, running her hands up and down his sides to soothe him.

Barry only groaned in response, not knowing what hurt the most - his self-inflicted injuries, his failed surprise dinner or his bruised ego.

"Bar, your head is bleeding a bit. Let's get you to the living room so I can patch you up."

She tried pulling him up but he wouldn't budge. Instead, he curled into a ball, resting his back on one of the cabinets as he started mumbling incomprehensible words under his breath. Caitlin fought the urge to roll her eyes at her husband's child-like antics knowing he wouldn't act this way around someone else and that thought alone brings a familiar feeling of domesticity in her heart.

"Oh hub, you don't have to be so upset about this. It's not like you've burned the house down or something." She cooed, taking the space beside him on the floor, trying to ease her sulking husband.

"You don't understand, Cait. I took a day off just to pull this off and now look at this-" His hands were wildly gesturing towards his surroundings, "-it's a complete mess!"

"Babe, it's okay. We'll just have to clean it up and then-"

"But it's supposed to be a surprise!"

He raised his hands up in surrender, only for it to flop soundly on top of his folded knees. Taking a deep breath, he turned to his wife and seeing a shocked expression on her face, he knew he owed her an explanation.

Barry held her hand with his left while he let the other tame his disheveled hair. "I know we agreed not to do anything grand today but I just can't help but feel the need to make this special day memorable for the both of us."

Seeing how sincere he is about this whole ordeal, Caitlin's expression softened, already forgiving him for his inappropriate outburst earlier.

She entwined their fingers together, letting her thumb caress the back of his hand as she felt his breathing steadying under her touch. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek and said, "I'm really sorry for laughing at you earlier. But you know you don't have to do anything to make a day memorable for us. Having you by my side is more than enough to make any day special to me."

"Really? Even when I'm only capable of doing nothing edible but pancakes?"

"Yes." She pressed another kiss to his cheek, leaning closer to whisper, "And for the record, you make some killer pancakes, Mr. Allen."

"I do?" He asked too hopefully even for his own ears so he tried to just play it cool by quickly adding, "I mean, of course I do. My pancakes are to die for."

"They literally are." She quipped before throwing into a fit of giggles yet again.

"I should've known you weren't sincerely apologizing for laughing at me earlier." He snorted, nudging her shoulder a bit.

She's still in the middle of controlling her laughter when she replied, "I am! But you're too adorable I'm finding it hard not to."

Caitlin took a quick look at their position, sprawled out on the floor looking like kids who literally messed up the kitchen. She started laughing again and soon enough, Barry's joining her in full blown laughter.

They almost instantly stopped when Barry suddenly felt the pricking sensation creeping inside his palms as soon as the numbness from the burn died down, making him let out a pained yelp.

"Ow! I almost forgot this stupid burns." He started to wave his hands vigorously, willing for the pain to subside.

Caitlin held his wrists gently, letting them fall open to assess the damage. "Bar, stay still. Let me see it."

He did as he was told, knowing full well the perks of having a doctor as a wife.

"It's nothing serious but we need to put ointment on it instantly. And some bandages for the cut on your head."

He nodded and stood up with Caitlin following him, gesturing toward the living room. He was about to turn around when he felt her hand on his arm tugging it gently.

"Wait, we need to apply first aid now just to be sure."

His brows furrowed in curiosity when he asked, "First aid?"

"Yeah." She replied nonchalantly but the glint in her eyes didn't go unnoticed by him.

Caitlin reached for his wrists again, bringing it up to her lips and kissed the inside of his palms gently. Then she rose on her tiptoes to press a kiss just beside the cut on his head too.

Barry just stood there mesmerized, surprised that even though he felt he knew his wife from inside out, she still manages to pull some tricks out of her sleeves to make him fall in love with her all over again.

"There, all done. I'm pretty much sure you'll live, Mr. Allen." She smiled cheekily at him although a blush is very much evident on her face.

"Are you sure? Then why do I feel like you missed a vital part here, doctor." He smirked at her, puckering up his lips, wetting it slightly to emphasize his point.

She rolled her eyes at him but she kisses him anyways.


After cleaning up the kitchen (which wouldn't have taken so long if they weren't making out on every flat space they find on the room), they decided to just order some takeout and watch a movie on their living room. They were cuddled up underneath the thick blanket on the couch, spending much more attention to each other than on the movie itself.

Sure, it wasn't even close as to what Barry had in mind (with a surprise three-course meal in their gazebo by the pool matched with a serenading background music) but he wouldn't have it any other way, even when he had to deal with a bandaged head and stinging hands in the process.

Caitlin was right, she always is, he thought, that they don't need grand romantic gestures just to make a day memorable. Just as long as they are together, undeniably in love and happy in each other's arms, everyday is as special as any other day with or without any occasion.

He turned to his wife, comfortably sprawled on top of him as he dipped down to plant a sweet kiss on her lips and whispered, "Happy first anniversary, wifey."

"Happy first anniversary, hub."


END OF PART ONE


AN: I fell in love with my first ever story I decided to make a sequel to it. It's just a mini series containing fluff-filled chapters - open for suggestions!

-A