As the half of a hosting duo who lacked the capacity for intoxication, Barry approximates it's about that hour in the evening when he should kick his guests out of his loft as politely as he can muster. Iris might have been more subtle about signaling the end of the party than he was, but she was currently flushed and giggly, far too much for what was considered her normal, the result of, well, Barry had stopped tracking how many glasses of wine she had downed.
Maybe he should have stopped her as she poured her third helping, or should have advised her to opt out of drinking the champagne during Joe's toast if she was going to drink that much wine beforehand, but then he figured he should let her have it. It was Friday night after all, and his wife of all people deserved a break after weeks of juggling plans for Cecile's baby shower with résumé editing and cover letter drafting for several reporter openings, on top of her STAR Labs duties.
Barry clears his throat and elbows Cisco.
"Alright, Dude," he mutters. "I need you to leave so that everyone else gets the hint."
"Real polite, Barry," Caitlin scolds, appearing at his side and shouldering her purse. "I'll do it."
"Thanks, Caitlin," Barry chuckles, embarrassed, to which she nods pointedly, heading over to Joe and Cecile to bid them farewell and offer her congratulations once again.
Cisco huffs and chugs the last of his beer. "I was about to go home anyway," he swallows. "Not like I can even enjoy myself after-after Cynthia."
Barry's heart goes out to him.
"I'm sorry, Bro," he sympathizes. "Do you want to spend the night? The couch is all yours." He hasn't forgotten Cisco's hospitality that time he ruined everything with Iris, and would do anything to reciprocate.
"I think I just need to be alone for a bit," Cisco exhales, rubbing his eyes exasperatedly. He claps Barry on the shoulder. "I'll see you later."
"Take it easy, Buddy," Barry counsels. "Text me if you need anything."
Cisco too makes his way out, and Barry's relieved to see that the remaining guests start to follow suit until he's eventually left with Joe, Cecile, and a very drunk Iris.
Cecile's phone chimes.
"Joanie's plane finally landed!" she announces after reading her text. "We'd better get home before her Uber does, Babe," she addresses Joe.
"Bear-" Joe starts, but Barry's already on it, and in three trips, all their gifts have been gathered and piled into the West living room.
"I'm gonna need you around to change diapers!" Cecile jests when she registers that Barry's back and all the gifts delivered. "With how fast you work-besides, it'll be good practice for you."
She winks and Barry senses his cheeks heat.
"Don't remind me that I'm old enough to be a grandpa, Sweetheart," Joe sighs.
"PawPaw," Cecile jokes. "That's what our daughter will call you."
Barry raises a sheepish hand behind his head, but grins in spite of himself.
"No one will be calling you PawPaw for a while, Joe," he assures him. "I promise you that."
Cecile clutches her chest in mock offense. "You and Iris aren't trying?"
Barry sputters, wondering what on earth had given her the impression that he and Iris were ready for parenthood.
"No! I mean-not no as in never, but as in it's WAY too soon for that-plus we're all focused on this baby for now-"
Cecile pokes him teasingly. "Relax, Barry. I'm only kidding-but you should have seen the look on your face."
Barry laughs along, albeit still nervously, but he eases nonetheless, happier than ever that Joe had someone with a spirit like Cecile's for a companion.
Cecile looks past him just then, jutting her chin out: "I'm glad someone drank on my behalf tonight."
He and Joe turn to find Iris collapsed onto the sofa, her skirt sprawled out clumsily between her knees, one hand clutching a giant, fluffy, pink stuffed unicorn that someone had brought as a gift, the other grasping a half-filled glass of champagne on the dangerous verge of tipping-
-until it's safely secured in Barry's hands.
Iris wakes with the abruptness of Barry's movement.
"Where did everybody go?" she blinks, looking around, awareness creeping over her.
Barry watches Cecile and Joe attempt to stifle their laughter.
"Alright, Baby Girl, we're heading out," Joe salutes her.
Iris furrows her brows. "What about the party?" Her eyes take in the banner ahead, and she slowly annunciates the words: "It's…a…girl."
Cecile and Joe absolutely lose it. Barry himself bites down on his lip to stop himself from cracking up.
Cecile manages to compose herself.
"Yes-there was a party, and it was lovely. When you're not too drunk to remember, I will thank you properly for it. For now, you can keep the unicorn as my token of gratitude." She blows a kiss to Iris. "Good night, Darling."
"Take care of her, Bear," Joe pipes. "Maybe it is too soon for you two to start trying…"
The sound of his and Cecile's chortling is still audible when the door shuts behind them.
Iris tries to stand only to trip on her heels and fall back down again.
"Let's get you to bed," Barry insists, entertained, trying to help her up again, but she resists this time.
"I wanna stay at the party," she pouts, stretching across the couch, clutching the pink unicorn to her chest.
He humors her: "You want to stay here and party with your new friend?"
"Mhmm," she nods, gripping the unicorn more tightly.
Barry laughs softly. Perhaps it was for the best that Cisco hadn't taken him up on his offer to sleepover, considering the couch was going to be occupied for the night.
He props Iris's ankles onto his lap to slip her pumps off, letting them fall to the floor, and is just about to stand to fetch her a blanket when she sounds once more.
"Am I having a girl?"
"Are you-no. No, you're not having a girl," Barry chuckles, feeling hot at the prospect of being a father yet again. "But you are getting a sister!" he chirps.
"A sister?" Iris frowns.
"Yeah, maybe you can give her that unicorn back when she's born," he snickers. "I know you're used to being Joe's baby girl, but you're gonna have to learn to share."
"No," Iris sulks, squeezing her eyes shut and sticking her tongue out.
Barry struggles not to cackle.
Just as soon as they closed, her eyes flutter open again abruptly.
"Who was that girl?" she probes.
"Huh?" Barry quizzes. "What girl?"
Her gaze is intent, and for moment, she looks so sober that Barry wonders if she's putting on a spectacular act.
"Who was that girl at the door?" she repeats.
Barry rubs his neck awkwardly. "I don't know who you're talking about, Iris. There were a lot of people at the door tonight. We had guests over for the party, remember?"
Iris doesn't reply this time, only continues to stare at him blankly.
Barry figures it's a good time to steal away to get her that blanket-
"I want a baby."
He finally bursts, all the laughter he kept at bay surfacing.
"Do you?" he indulges her, more amused than aghast now, but he still burns up bashfully.
"I feel like… I'm a mom," Iris utters simply.
"I think you're just really drunk, and that unicorn is really soft," Barry smirks, though his pulse races wildly.
Iris turns over onto her shoulder so that her entire body faces him.
"Put a baby in me, Barry," she murmurs, her voice slurred and sleepy.
Barry swallows, certain his face must be crimson now. He knows she's drunk and doesn't realize what she's saying, but he could only take so many allusions to their parenting a child in a single night-
He reaches out to stroke her cheek, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"One day," he promises.
Her only response is to hug the unicorn and slowly drift off to sleep.