Anonymous asked: Can you write a fic about Barry, Cisco and Caitlin taking a day off and going to a baseball game where Barry and Caitlin get caught on the kisscam?


Seventh Inning Stretch


Barry thinks it's an impressive testament to their friendship that they all let Eddie drag them to a baseball game, despite the fact that none of them are particularly big sports fans. But he'd come striding into the precinct on Tuesday morning, grinning in that earnest way that he knows (too well) Iris loves and makes it hard for anyone else to refuse him either. He hadn't even given Barry a chance to ask what was up before launching into an explanation: an old police academy buddy had a wedding out of town and didn't want his Central City Diamonds tickets to go to waste, so he had five of them for that Saturday's game. Iris had already been lured by the promise of hot dogs and beer and Eddie was hoping that Barry, Caitlin and Cisco would want to go as well.

Barry had promised to ask that afternoon, certain that his Star Labs friends would refuse and save them all a few long hours in the hot sun, watching people run in circles (painfully slowly, by his standards), hitting and chasing balls.

He hadn't expected Cisco to be immediately on board or for Caitlin, after deliberating for a long minute with her lower lip caught between her teeth, to tentatively shrug her acquiescence. "I'm not really big on baseball," she'd started, half a smile accompanying the rise and fall of her shoulder, "But it might be nice to take an afternoon off and do something normal for a change."

Baseball games probably did count as part of having a life, after all. As would hanging with friends. He hadn't been able to deny that she had a point.

And so, they find themselves settled on benches, at the top of the fourth, watching the Diamonds play some team in grey and orange that Barry's never actually heard of.

It hasn't been too bad an afternoon, really. It's a gorgeous sort of day, warm and sunny but with a hint of breeze, which is perfect for keeping it from getting too hot on the metal benches of the stadium. It's dollar beer day, so they've been munching on junk food and washing it down with Bud Light, spending more time talking then actually watching the game, though every now and then something happens to pull their attention to the field. (It's actually kind of funny, because Iris has learned a lot about baseball from Joe and she's clearly enjoying explaining calls to her boyfriend, who is obviously more of a fair weather fan than anything. Add to that mix Cisco, who likes predicting hits based on physics and ruining the outcome of plays, and Barry and Caitlin, by far the least invested in the actual game itself, who have so far spent most of their time laughing on the end of the bench, watching the other three interact).

The innings go by pretty quickly and before they know it, it's time for one of the mid-game activities as the players switch out. There's music playing and mascots running around the field and all around them people are shuffling around to stretch and replenish their refreshments. Eddie and Cisco decide to make a beer run and Iris wants to use the bathroom, so Barry and Caitlin remain to hold down their seats and keep an eye on their assorted belongings.

"This is actually kind of fun," Caitlin comments, once the others are out of earshot, not wanting her initial skepticism to hurt Eddie's feelings. She's wearing a wide smile that is far more familiar than her outfit for the day—Barry has literally never seen her wear jeans before, let alone a baseball cap over her ponytail, but it's nice to see her looking so relaxed and happy (and honestly, it's a good look on her—both the causal clothes and the casual, easy smile). Caitlin, more than any of them, deserves it.

Barry nods his agreement before adding: "I wasn't really expecting it either," and it's true. He had pretty much planned on spending the afternoon feigning interest, the way he's always done when Joe gets on a sports kick, but between Eddie, Iris and Cisco getting into the game and Caitlin asking increasingly ridiculous questions (trying to befuddle an increasingly excited and tipsy Cisco), he's laughed more than he has in ages. For the first time in a long time, he actually feels pretty normal. Just an average guy at a game with his four best friends, drinking beer, eating hotdogs and joking around. "It's nice to be normal."

Caitlin's laugh, bright as the afternoon sunshine, draws a grin from him. "It's not bad, this whole having a life thing, is it?" This is definitely the most progress they've made since that fateful night out a little over four months ago. For all of their best intentions, most weeks they get so busy saving the city that they keep letting their own lives slide.

"And not as hard as I thought it would be," Barry teases right back. He's about to say something else when he hears Cisco laughing wildly. Both he and Caitlin turn toward the familiar sound, only to see him pointing toward one of the big screens.

With mirrored looks of confusion, Barry and Caitlin shrug at one another and turn to see what's got their friend in hysterics. They turn in tandem to watch their faces color on the screen, the words 'Kiss Cam' floating just below their shoulders and the crowd around them suddenly catching on and cheering encouragingly.

Grinning, still faintly embarrassed, Barry gives another shrug and asks the silent question. Never one to back down from a challenge, Caitlin nods vaguely. They lean forward for a quick peck, only for Barry to realize at the last minute that Caitlin's baseball cap is in the way so he leans back out and brings up a hand to catch at the brim. With a gentle motion, he pulls it back and slowly slides it down her ponytail, his smile turning a little sheepish with the tenderness of the action (and the collective 'awws' that echo around them).

With her hat still gripped in one hand, Barry lifts his other to brush a few loose tendrils of hair from her face and bring her forward to meet him. They share a quick kiss, to the resounding approval of the crowd, before pulling back, cheeks dusted with more than a little hint of red that has nothing to do with the sunshine above. His fingers linger against her neck for a moment before dropping, both of them ignoring Cisco's laughter behind them, even as he calls out to the approaching Eddie and Iris and starts to share the story.

"That was slightly less normal," Caitlin comments after a moment, meeting his eyes with a playful roll, trying to get back to their earlier conversation without dwelling too much on what's just transpired.

"True," Barry says with an easy laugh, letting her humor and the sound break the bit of tension that's built between them. Raising her hat back up, he shifts a little in his seat, first to knock her shoulder with his, then to carefully settle her cap back into place, tugging her ponytail through once more, letting the strands slip lazily through his fingers. He's wearing a bright grin as he starts to move his attention back to the game that's starting up again below. "But still nice."


Just a little baseball game fun. Sorry for my utter lack of baseball knowledge.

I am totally in love with the idea of the 5 of them becoming friends, especially with the idea of Barry moving on from Iris and falling for Caitlin, so I spent some time building that in here. I definitely want to do more of those sorts of stories, as last chapter's scene also shows. Hopefully you guys enjoy that idea too!

Also, quick fyi: I'm going to be out of town with family this afternoon through Monday sometime, so there won't be any story updates until then but I should be able to get one up again Monday night when I get back. Sorry, no wifi in the great north woods!

As always, comments and suggestions are most welcome :)

Best Wishes,

AOR