A/N: This is a birthday gift for a good friend of mine, but I hope you like it too. This is my first Flash fanfic so I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: Geez, you guys. If I owned Flash, the next episode would be out by now.
By the time Barry got back to his and Iris's house, he was pretty damn pissed. It had been a truly terrible day at work: Director Singh was being his usual agitated self, rushing around the department, yelling at anyone who happened to be in his way, shouting for the reports on the DNA tests- All the usual. But this week, in particular, everyone in CCPD was guarded, stressed, even.
Last Tuesday, a Metahuman with the ability to make her targets tell the truth had revealed herself to the police. It had shaken everybody, especially Barry. Mainly because he was practically powerless to do anything but watch, unable to take her to S.T.A.R Labs or Iron Heights. Barry only just managed to get away unnoticed, and had sped her to Iron Heights before she could cause anymore trouble. Cisco had already dubbed her 'The Secret Sharer'.
It was the same old story: a police officer in CCPD had shot her father in a bank heist, so she set about revealing everyone's deepest, darkest secrets, starting with the officer. Secret Sharer's name, Barry later found out, was April Sherland; she was the oldest of four siblings and had been caring for them ever since their father's death. Barry almost didn't want to imprison her, but the law was the law.
So, of course, everyone at the precinct this week was unnecessarily guarded, throwing accusing looks at anyone who even brought up Secret Sharer, especially those who had been affected. Barry, at least, had not been forced under her spell- who knows what would have happened if any one of the things he was keeping from CCPD came out.
On top of the terrible day at work, July was coming steadily closer, and he still hadn't found a way to stop Savitar. Barry had tried to convince himself that he wasn't worried, that there was still plenty of time to figure things out, but anyone could see that that wasn't working. Fumbling with the keys to the apartment, Barry stepped inside, flicking the light switch on. And steadily began to grin.
A large banner had been hung up, reading, 'Happy Birthday, Barry!'. The tables were covered with all of his favourite foods, and, right in the centre, stood a large, red and gold birthday cake.
Barry glanced behind him. While he was looking around the room at the decorations, Cisco, Caitlin, Julian, HR, who was sporting a platter full of...something, Joe, and finally, Iris, had walked in behind him, all smiling. "Happy birthday!" They all said, and came forward, crushing him under numerous hugs.
"Guys...This is incredible. Seriously, you didn't have to do this…" Barry began, smiling all the while.
"Yes, we did," Joe said. "Come on, we could tell that you were having a bad week. Did you even remember that it was your birthday today?"
To be honest, Barry hadn't really thought about it. It was just another day when he woke up. But things were getting decidedly better. "Um…Maybe…?"
Cisco, who had already began to dig into the food on the table, laughed. HR walked up to Barry, still holding the platter, which, at closer observation, seemed to be containing pink, round, or, at least, Barry assumed they were supposed to be round, cakes. "I made these. They're an Earth-19 speciality, for birthdays. Go on, try one."Barry cautiously reached out and took one, taking a small bite. Immediately, he had to resist the urge to spit it out, poorly masking the choking noises he was making as a cough. Luckily, HR seemed oblivious to the matter. "It's...it's great," Barry said, forcing a smile, at the same time throwing a warning look at Cisco and Joe, who were laughing in the background. HR's features lit up, and he walked off, joining Caitlin at the food table.
About an hour was spent talking and eating, telling jokes and laughing, until Julian approached Barry with his present. "Um...I wasn't sure what to get you, but...well…"
Barry took the present, and opened the paper, revealing a picture that had been taken a few months ago, with Harry, Jessie, Julian and the rest of team Flash smiling at the camera, Barry's arm around Iris's shoulders. He had forgotten about that picture, even if he had been the one to take it in the first place. It had been Julian's idea, after he ad seen the one with Barry, Cisco, Caitlin and 'Dr Wells' that had been taken two years ago. Barry grinned at Julian. "Wow...thanks, Julian. I...totally forgot that I had taken this. Thanks."
Julian smiled. "Anything for a friend. Happy birthday, mate." He walked back to the food table.
Over the course of the night, Barry got a T-shirt from Cisco which read: "Run like your phone is at 1%", a small, silver ring that had a lightening bolt and an artistic snowflake crossed together from Caitlin, "It stores some of my powers. In an emergency, turn the emblem around, and it will release a blast of ice," she had said. Joe gave him a karaoke set for the house, "I heard that you like to sing," and a letter from his father, explaining why he couldn't be there, and wishing him a happy birthday.
It wasn't too long after 11 at night when the last of the guests left, leaving Iris and Barry alone. She smiled, but soon her smile faded. "I didn't get you anything. There wasn't anything I could think of. There wasn't anything...perfect. I know, I'm a jerk. I didn't get a present on my own fiance's birthday."
Barry shook his head, pulling Iris closer. "Just saying yes was good enough for a lifetime of birthdays."
Iris snuggled against him. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, but it was a good forever. Finally, Barry whispered quietly, just loud enough to be heard over the soft music playing in the background, "My name is Barry Allen, and I am the luckiest man alive."
A/N: Thanks for reading!