Iris gave the Jitters' barista a small smile as she took her cup of coffee. She wandered to the sugar and cream station and sat her cup down by the napkin dispenser. She stared down at the lid in front of her but made no attempt to remove it.
"What more does he have to do," a small voice asked from the back of the cafe. Iris turned to see Cisco nestled in the shadows. It was evening, and the orange light from the glass windows failed to reach the small table in the corner of the shop, where Cisco had chosen to sit.
Iris tilted her head slightly. She took two steps toward him, but moved cautiously in fear of what he might say.
"He who," Iris replied, flinching after the words slipped out of her mouth.
"You can't be serious." Cisco shook his head and stood.
Iris clenched her fist and closed the distance between them. His eyes widened with fear, but he didn't move an inch.
"Why am I constantly made the bad guy? Huh? Tell me what I did that was so wrong," Iris shouted.
The few customers that were enjoying their coffee decided it was best to leave. The barista stepped away from the counter and busied herself with cleaning the pastry case.
Iris wiped away few stray tears, and yanked back a chair at Cisco's table.
"Why am I even talking to you, Cisco. I don't even know you. You don't know me. And all you know is what Barry tells you," Iris said bitterly. "Go away."
"You're right. It's none of my business." Cisco walked away from the table and moved quickly to the door. He pressed open the door and felt the chilly wind on his face.
Iris sat on the hard wooden chair. She clenched her jaw and stared at the empty space where Cisco sat minutes earlier. A few more tears ran down her face, but she didn't make any effort to wipe them away. She kept her eyes fixed on the spot.
She listened to the barista clang trays and toss hardened cinnamon buns into a plastic trash bag. Iris blinked.
"Barry is my friend. And I trust what he says, but I also heard everything you said to him," Cisco said calmly.
Iris blinked a few more times to register Cisco's presence. He sat in front of her and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Caitlin and I listened to you chew him out at STAR labs. Cameras are everywhere. And he has a mic in his suit, so I heard you two on the roof the night he took out General Thade," Cisco explained.
"Who?"
"Grodd. Barry poured his heart out. He would do and has done anything for you. He loves you unconditionally, Iris. The way people dream of being loved. How can you just ignore that?"
Iris hit her fist on the table. "You think I ignore it? I think about it every single day!"
"It's not obvious!"
"Not everyone can be Barry, Cisco. Do you know what it's like to be loved by him! I hear his speeches first hand and they are directed at me. He looks at me like nothing else exists! I can't match that. Even if I poured my heart out. If I told him that he has made me happy every day since he walked through my dad's door." Iris' voice cracked and she lifted her hand to her mouth.
Cisco bit his lip as he watched Iris' shoulders shake. He instinctively slid his chair over and placed his arm around her. Iris sobbed into his jacket and clung to his shoulders.
"Eddie was there. I put him through so much and now he's been kidnapped. I don't even know if he's dead or not! I can't just leave him. After all of this! I can't just break his heart."
"I shouldn't have said anything, Iris. I'm," Cisco started but Iris cut him off by shaking violently in his arms. He held her tighter as her cries worsened.
"But I need Barry! I need him, Cisco! I'm hurting everyone and no one trusts me, and Mason is dead."
Cisco felt his eyes water; he was always emotional; however, he refused to breakdown too. So, he held her. For twenty minutes he let her cry, rant and breathe into his shoulder. Then they stood up and walked out of the shop.
They faced each other as they stood outside of Jitters with the door between them. Iris was too tired, embarrassed and afraid to speak. She lifted her eyes from the wet spot on his jacket to his warm eyes.
"I don't know you either, Iris. But I trust you," said Cisco.
"Nothing. There is nothing more that Barry can do. I already love him, too," Iris replied.
Cisco nodded. Iris turned away and walked down the moon lit sidewalk. She pulled her sweater closer to her body and ducked her head down.
Cisco watched her disappear around the corner.