AN: Second to last chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash. Still. Do we legitimately have to put these on every chapter?
Their meta human problem had been solved, and for the first time since the first sighting, STAR Labs was peaceful. Tranquility ran throughout the building. Except in Cisco's head. Cisco's head was a mess of intertwined thoughts, every plot and scheme overlapping each other.
While the Mixer was locked safely away in the pipeline, Cisco had other matters to attend to. He had found himself wishing that Barry had gotten beaten up, just a little bit, in the hopes that maybe one or the other would get the idea in their head to make a move. Running around kissing each other and acting like it hadn't happened was not, in any way, acceptable.
So while Caitlin was off running the numbers for a serum, Cisco took the opportunity given to him as he and Barry played ping pong. They remained silent, patting the ball back and forth rhythmically.
"Ask her on a date," Cisco said, smacking the ball in Barry's direction.
Barry, caught off guard by the bluntness of the question, hit the ball in the wrong direction at far too quick a speed, shattering a light in the process.
"Damn," Cisco said, watching the last of the glass clink to the floor.
"I'll clean it up. Hold on," Barry said, grabbing the broom at super speed and taking care of the mess without hassle.
Seeing as there was no airborne object at that moment, Cisco figured he'd swing again.
"You really should ask her on a date," Cisco said, leaning against the wall.
"Who -what?" Barry said, although he knew perfectly well what Cisco said.
All the same, Cisco repeated, "Caitlin. You should ask her on a date,"
"A date?" Barry asked skeptically, sitting on the edge of the desk.
"Yeah, you know, a romantic hangout between two people who are attracted to each other -much like Dr. Snow and yourself -usually on the weekends. She likes Olive Garden," Cisco said, handing him a -a coupon. For Olive Garden. Barry wasn't surprised.
"No she doesn't," Barry said, handing the coupon back.
"Wait -how do you know?" Cisco said, letting the coupon drop to the floor.
"She's my friend. She's mentioned a couple times," Barry said.
"Haha -you see, that's funny, because if I recall, I've never heard her mention anything of the sort; and I've known her longer than you," Cisco said, putting his hand on his chin in mock concentration.
Barry simply shrugged and walked off. He was a lost cause for the time being. Caitlin, however, wasn't; Cisco set off to find his next target.
"You should ask him on a date," Cisco said, finding Caitin in the lab.
"I don't think that's going to happen, Cisco," Caitlin said, eyeing the serum in her hand carefully. She didn't feel the need to ask who "him" was when she already knew.
"Why?" Cisco asked, frustrated.
"For one, do you really think I'd ever ask anyone on a date? If the right person asks me, I'll say yes. But I'm not going to chase after someone...just for it to end in heartbreak," Caitlin said, spinning the vile.
"Ask him. Or at least tease him until he asks you," Cisco said, handing her a slip of paper, "He likes Olive Garden,"
"Well I, unfortunately, don't," Caitlin said, but nonetheless set the slip down on the table.
"Dammit," Cisco mumbled under his breath, "Alright if someone doesn't do something, I'm gonna be pissed because I know you both want to,"
Caitlin didn't say anything, only fiddled with an empty glass test tube, so Cisco went back into the Cortex. And of course, Barry was still there.
"You okay, Cisco?" Barry said, seeing the flustered expression on his friend's face. Barry couldn't help but smirk.
"I am so...frickin', pissed," Cisco said.
"We should never have let you watch that movie," Barry said, laughing a little.
Cisco mumbled something under his breath that Barry didn't quite catch.
"I said," Cisco said, breathing in deeply to keep from shouting, "Take her to a f*****g movie!"
Cisco continued, "Or go to Olive Garden, and just sit there! Or Big Belly Burger! It doesn't matter! Just do something before all this shit drives me insane!"
"Before? I think you're too late for that, Cisco," Barry said with a chuckle.
Cisco chuckled too, but his was more menacing, "Believe me...I've got a whole lot more sanity I could lose,"
There was a moment of silence, and a few soft knocks on the door frame. Barry snapped his head around. Caitlin.
"Heard all that, huh?" Barry said.
"Yeah," She replied quietly.
"Good," Cisco said, "Good good good. Now maybe, we can work something out!"
Barry and Caitlin exchanged glances.
"I'm gonna leave the room, and when I come back, a date better have been made," Cisco said, exiting.
There was a long pause, the only sounds being the drumming of Caitlin's fingers. Then Barry spoke:
"I think Cisco's right,"
"That he's got more sanity to lose? I don't think so," Caitlin said, wanting to avoid the awkward topic.
"Caitlin. Serious moment," Barry said, "What do you say?"
"I say...when and where?" Caitlin said, biting her lip nervously.
"Big Belly Burger?" Barry said after a few seconds. Caitlin looked at him like he was crazy, "I mean, you don't like Olive Garden, and Jitters is...cliche. I don't know of anywhere else to go,"
"...Big Belly Burger it is," Caitlin said with a grin.
"Does tomorrow night work? It's a Friday," Barry said, his smile matching her own.
"Yeah. Yeah, it does," She said.
"Um, I'll pick you up at seven?" Barry asked.
"Okay. I'll be waiting," Caitlin said.