Wow, I haven't updated Jukebox in ages! Travesty! So sorry guys! Thank you so much to everyone who's followed, favorited, and reviewed, you guys are incredible and I think about you all the time! I've been working on a couple of other stories as well, one for Star Wars and a Criminal Minds/The Magicians crossover. If you're interested in any of those fandoms, you should check them out! I also updated Feeling Good recently, so don't forget to go see what Barry and Cal are up to when they're not in the lab!
This takes place just two weeks before Barry and Cal become a couple, just a fun morning at the lab, with a little flirting and a little humor and a little reminiscing.
If you ever find yourself in Oklahoma, search desperately for a Braum's for the best goddamn ice cream you've ever had. Dip their fries in a mint chocolate chip shake and you could die of happiness, I swear it.
I don't own the Flash or the song Calling Baton Rouge or Braum's. Consider yourselves disclaimed.
"Operator, won't you put me on through
Gotta send my love down to Baton Rouge
Hurry up, won't you put her on the line
Gotta talk to the girl just one more time"
"Oh no. Oh please no. Cal, please tell me you're not making me listen to country music today. Almost four months of working together and we have never once listened to country music, why now?"
Barry was already begging as he reached the top of the stairs, hearing strains of Garth Brooks coming from their lab. He was hardly deterred by the sight of Cal spinning gleeful circles in her rolling chair, plastic spoon stuck into a quart of ice cream in her lap as she sang along. Her strange antics amused him, and he had long ago learned not to be surprised by what he may walk in on. The silly string was a fond memory.
"Sorry Barry, you're just gonna have to deal with this today! For once I'm actually feeling nostalgic for my childhood, so I'm gonna milk it for all it's worth before I go back to hating that place with a fiery passion!"
He laughed - he knew she was mostly joking about the fiery passion - but still tried to appear disgruntled.
"What's got you feeling so nostalgic? And why on earth are you eating ice cream before 8:30 in the morning?"
Cal's eyes glittered behind her glasses. "Lia sent me some...care packages. Have you ever had Braum's?"
"No, what's that?"
"It's an ice cream and burger chain that's just in Oklahoma. C'mere, I'm about to change your life right now." Setting down the coffees he'd brought for them and slipping off his jacket, he made his way over to her and held his hand out for the spoon.
Instead of handing it to him, Cal scooped up a bit of the ice cream and held it up to him to take in his mouth.
Barry stopped short for a moment, watching her freeze mid-smile as his speed gave him a moment to think. He hadn't spoken to Iris in nearly two weeks, and while that troubled him to an extent, he had been using that time to focus on the growing mutual attraction between himself and Cal. It was clear that they were both aware of the other's feelings, and though they had a sort of silent agreement to let things happen naturally, a certain level of...tension had been rising between them, and it seemed to be nearing its peak.
His attempts at flirting had grown bolder, but only a little smoother. Still, his heart sang when she smiled softly as he stumbled over his words, recognizing - finally, someone that understood - that he cared for her and was doing his best to show her that, however clumsily. She had taken his cue to make her own feelings more obvious, and he was a little embarrassed at how easily she could make him blush with something as simple as complimenting his sweater or a lingering brush of her fingers on the back of his hand. This gave him an idea, thinking maybe it could be his turn to see her blush.
He resumed normal speed and, with a smirk, reached out a hand to lightly grasp her wrist. He let his thumb caress lightly over the smooth, delicate skin on the inside of her wrist before leaning forward and slowly taking the spoon in his mouth. He cheered inwardly when her pulse fluttered and quickened under his thumb, at the pink tinge to her cheeks, and at the barely audible intake of breath as he pulled away, still holding her wrist in place.
He suddenly stopped again, this time in surprise, as silky, creamy mint rolled over his tongue, and tiny flat squares of chocolate melted and began to dance ecstatically on his taste buds. His eyes widened, and he looked down at her incredulously.
"Why did no one tell me heaven comes from Oklahoma and why have you never shared it with me before."
The spell broken, Cal burst out laughing as Barry took the spoon from her and began to shovel ice cream into his mouth. "I know, right?! My sister overnighted this to me in dry ice, check it." She leaned over the side of her desk, and following her line of sight revealed to Barry a full sized ice chest. He yanked it open eagerly to reveal five more quarts of ice cream labeled with incredible names like Snickerdoodle and Dream Cooler and White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. "I've got three more of these big guys back home."
"Eighteen more quarts of ice cream?! You can't fit all that in your tiny freezer, what are you gonna do with it?"
She was grinning at him mischievously. "You and Joe have that deep freeze, right?"
Barry grinned. Oh, he liked where this was going. "Yes we do."
"You can have as much as you want if you let me stash it there."
"Deal! But you still have to explain the country music, I didn't even think you liked it."
Cal shrugged. "Most of it I don't, but I don't mind some of it. Now, the king of country, here-" she gestured at her laptop, now playing a different Garth Brooks song, "-he'll always have a special place in my heart. My Pop, he used to take Tori and me out for burgers and shakes at Braum's and then these long, long drives. One shake for lunch and then another for the road, of course." She grinned fondly, eyes faraway behind her glasses. "He'd play Garth Brooks tapes as loud as the stereo would go, steering with one hand and playing his harmonica with the other, not another car or truck for miles. All the way up until I left for MIT. Those are some of the best moments of my childhood."
She blinked, focusing on his face again, before widening her grin. "You should know this is probably all I'm going to eat today. Vegetables, shmegetables!"
Barry laughed as he moved back over to his own desk, snatching the quart of Snickerdoodle and another spoon on the way. "I'm in. Diabetes, here we come!"
She laughed with him, going for another twirl in her chair as she took a bite of her ice cream.
"What on earth are you two eating?"
Looking at the door of the lab, Joe stood with his hands out in question, half laughing and half scolding. Barry grinned at Cal before turning to his foster father.
"Joe, this ice cream is gonna change your life."
Let me know what you think!