Author's Note: When you write this big long chapter about one of your commonly-forgotten OTPs... and then you have no idea how to follow it up. Ah well. Here goes nothing.
While Thea was having a clothing crisis before her (kind of life-changing) date with Roy, Alex was having a very different kind of New Years Eve.
She had (after much work) convinced her mom to let her go out on New Years Eve and had headed to Laurel's house for a sleepover. That's when she found out that Laurel had also invited Maggie.
Awkwardness ensued.
Maggie, being Maggie, was so darn sweet about it. "Hey, Alex, if this makes you uncomfortable I can leave," she said seriously, giving Alex a meaningful look.
Alex shifted. "I don't... I don't want you to leave," she murmured. "It's not fair, anyway. And, like, it's not a co-ed sleepover so my mom would probably still be fine with it, but... you know how I.. yeah."
"Yeah," Maggie echoed.
"You know how I feel," Alex whispered. "About us. And, like..."
Laurel was standing awkwardly to the side, feeling as if she was intruding. "Would it make you more comfortable if we split up the sleeping?" she asked Alex. "I mean, I was thinking we'd all crash in my room. You could sleep in my bed and Maggie and I could sleep on the floor."
"I brought my sleeping bag," Maggie offered helpfully.
Alex nodded, relieved. "Yeah, yeah, that'd be fine. If you guys don't mind."
Laurel shrugged. "I'm just sorry I didn't tell you. I mean... I sent it to the group chat so I assumed you'd know it was an invite for both of you."
Maggie and Alex looked confused. "You did?" Alex frowned. "I just got a text from you."
Maggie nodded her agreement, before rolling her eyes. "It's my fault," she groaned. "It's because I don't have an iPhone. Texts are always glitching."
"Is that why we can't name the group chat?" Laurel asked, laughing. "I thought it was something on my end."
Maggie sighed and threw herself down on the couch. "Do you know how difficult it is having an Android in a world of Apple users?" she moaned. "Everyone's always bashing you about how your phone ruins everything. Did you know you can't add people to group chats when I'm in one?"
"That is truly terrible," Laurel stated gravely, sitting down beside her.
Alex nodded her agreement. "I'm sorry for your loss," she said, snorting.
Maggie started to giggle and soon the three of them were laughing hysterically.
Sara pocked her head down from the staircase. "Could you guys calm down?" she asked grumpily. "I'm trying to FaceTime Thea and she's worried there's a pack of hyenas downstairs."
"Tell her there is," Alex called, smirking. "Tell her that if she doesn't stop obsessing over Roy Harper they'll come and eat her."
Sara snorted and then sighed. "I would ask how you knew she was talking about Roy but I suppose it's not terribly hard to guess, it being all she ever talks about."
She disappeared back up the stairs, where she would remain for most of the early evening.
"So, what are we doing tonight?" Maggie asked, repositioning herself on the couch so that she was no longer taking up over half of it and making room for Alex to sit.
"Well, we're gonna watch some New Years Rockin' Eve, for sure," Laurel told her. "We will be eating some food... drinking some sparkling cider... and either falling asleep before midnight or pulling an all-nighter!"
"There's no in between?" Alex asked, nose wrinkling.
"Nope." Laurel pulled her legs up and crossed them, pretzel position. "Now which one of you wants to help me with my physics homework?"
"Laurel!" Maggie groaned. "You seriously brought us here to watch television and help you with your homework? We've been on vacation for, like, eight days. I'm not even starting my homework until two days before vacation ends." She glanced over at Alex. "Agreed?"
Alex laughed. "I'm already done, actually."
"No way," Maggie said incredulously. "Even the 8 page essay?"
"Even the 8 page essay," Alex agreed. "Kara and Mon-El have been having some rough times so she hasn't really wanted to do anything with anyone. I've mostly been hiding in my room doing homework so my mom wouldn't force me to clean before Christmas."
"That's pretty solid," Laurel nodded, impressed. She tugged out her phone and glanced at the time. "7:09. And so the minutes creep ever onward."
"You bored of us already?" Maggie snarked.
"Yes," Laurel said dryly, before reaching for the stack of papers that were balancing on the couch's side-table. "Now help."
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After Sara hung up on Thea, she FaceTimed Leonard.
To her surprise, Mick was the one who picked up. "Hey, Blondie," he grunted.
"Mick!" Sara raised her eyebrows. "What're you doing with Len's phone?"
"I'm hanging at his place for the night," Mick shrugged. "Buffer between the old-man and all that. You know."
Sara frowned. She actually didn't know, and was about to ask when the phone jostled and Leonard's face popped into view. "Hey, Sara," he greeted.
"Hey, Len," Sara said, smiling happily. "Happy New Years."
"You too," Leonard replied, smiling back.
Mick took back the phone. "What'd you do to him?!" he demanded. "He's all... sappy now. Real men don't smile like that."
Sara laughed. "That's where you're wrong, Mick. Real men aren't afraid to smile like that."
He pulled a face and Leonard moved the phone back again. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said smoothly. "So, what's going on?"
"I'm bored," Sara grumped. "Thea's going on a date, Laurel has Alex and Maggie over, and I don't feel like doing homework 'cause that's laaaame. What're you up to?"
"Mick is making nachos," Leonard said, flipping the screen around and show the bulky senior (who Sara was half-positive dropped out of school during the first three weeks) hovering around an old, dirty oven with a metal trey. He glanced up and grunted before sticking the pan in the oven and turning it on.
A small, brunet girl wandered into the kitchen. She yawned.
"Tired already?" Leonard teased.
"Jerk," the girl muttered.
"Train wreck," he replied fondly.
Sara's face broke into a smile. "Who's that?" she asked, eager for one of her first tastes of Leonard's home life.
"That is Lisa," Leonard explained, turning the camera back to him. Sara muffled a giggle at the weird angle on his face. "She's my little sister."
"Who're you talking to, Lenny?" Lisa asked, walking over to peer at the screen. "Are you Sara? He doesn't shut up about you."
"Aw, really?" Sara grinned. "Leonard, I didn't know you cared."
"Yes you did," Leonard sighed, rolling his eyes.
"It's nice to meet you, Lisa," Sara said. "How old are you?"
"Ten," Lisa told her. "Are you and Lenny dating?"
Sara grinned. "Yes indeedy-do, we are."
Leonard snorted and picked up his phone. "I'm gonna head outside for a bit, okay?" he told his sister. "Tell me when the nachos are ready?"
She nodded his agreement and he walked out onto what seemed to Sara to be a porch. "When do I get to come over and see your house?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"When do I get to come over and see yours?" he countered, smiling.
"Uh, in case you forgot, my dad kind of totally still doesn't know we're dating," Sara groaned.
"You think mine does?"
She shrugged. "You didn't seem like the type to care."
Leonard sighed, sitting down on the front steps. "Sara, you don't want to come around here," he told her. "There's no space to hang out and talk, and everything's a dump. Besides, Lis would be getting in our face the whole time."
Sara sighed. "Fine, I guess so," she allowed, and changed the subject. She had learned from past experience that Leonard really only liked to talk about serious things (like his family, or the future) in short doses before he got uncomfortable or moody. "What are your plans for tonight?"
"What, you wanna sneak out and meet somewhere?" Leonard asked, smirking.
Sara's eyebrows raised. "Hey, I wasn't gonna suggest it but sure-"
"Kidding, Sara," Leonard sighed. "I can't imagine your father would appreciate that, and that would probably put me on his 'bad influence' list. Which is really not what I need."
"C'mon, Len, why do you think he won't like you?" Sara asked, shaking her head. "Give him a chance. My father can be pretty chill... occasionally... sometimes... on his good days."
"Encouraging," Leonard muttered dryly.
They fell into silence and Leonard's gaze went past the screen, toward the sky. "We could have gone to see fireworks," he said suddenly. "I didn't really think about that. I don't like leaving Lisa home on New Years. When my dad gets home things can get a bit... messy."
Sara felt her heart rate pick up and her stomach turn slightly. "Len... when you say messy... does your dad-"
The front door suddenly flew open and Lisa walked out. "Come on, Lenny," she urged. "Nachos are ready and Mick said we can watch television and have some soda."
Leonard gave Sara an apologetic glance. "I should probably go," he told her.
"Aw, okay," Sara sighed. "I'll go back to being bored and lonely then." She grinned. "Nah, it's fine. Night, Leonard."
"Good night, Sara. See you later."
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Iris was curled up next to Barry in the window seat in the Wests' living room, her head tucked under his chin. "Do you remember last New Years Eve?" she asked.
Barry tilted his head contemplatively. "Yes...?"
"We sat on the couch," Iris reminded him. "And Joe brought us a quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream and we ate the entire thing straight out of the container. And then you sang to me." Her face broke into a smile. "I liked last year. It was nice."
"So you're not regretting not doing something with your friends?" Barry confirmed.
"Of course not," Iris told him. "Thea was going on a date with Roy and Sara was probably going to be FaceTiming Leonard. She said she was planning on sneaking out of her house at midnight and going to meet him but it's Sara so she probably isn't."
Barry laughed. "Hey, you never know. I can see her ninja rolling out of the second-story window and making it out undetected."
Iris frowned. "Hm. Maybe I should call her and make sure that she doesn't do that and break her face."
"She'll be fine," Barry said quickly, not wanting Iris to get up. He was comfortable curled up on the window seat, and besides, it was nearly midnight and the fireworks were about to start.
Iris nodded, easily convinced, and snuggled back up to Barry's side. They watched the sky, the moon looking like a fingernail as it hung, sliver thin. She yawned.
"Don't go falling asleep yet," Barry told her, shaking his head. "You'll miss midnight."
Iris murmured unintelligibly and Barry rested his chin on her dark hair, breathing in the sent of roses. "You're beautiful," he told her softly. "And I love you."
"Aw, babe," Iris murmured, melting a little. "I love you, too."
The fireworks started. They heard a few booms before the first rocket got high enough over the tree-line for them to see. It burst a bright red, glimmered, and then vanished. A wide smile crossed Iris' face. Barry kissed her cheek.
Joe walked in, placing his hands on their shoulders. "Enjoying the show?" he asked with a faint smile.
They were both looking at each other.
Author's Note: CAN WE JUST END WITH THAT CUTENESS PLEASE?!
Okay seriously- out of all of the ships in this story they are probably my favorite (also Leonard and Sara). The funny thing about that is the IRL, I probably ship them the least XD
TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE SHIP IN THE COMMENTS BELOW! (both in this story and otherwise :)
