*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.
...
She Said I'm Hungry
Barry's face was alight with certainty and joy, waiting for her answer. Iris replayed the words he'd said to her over and over in her head. She wanted more than anything to say yes. To let him put that ring on her finger. To hug and kiss the love of her life and plan for the future, Savitar be damned. But instead she parted her lips and let the dreaded response out.
"No."
She watched woefully as Barry's lips twitched and eyebrows furrowed, wondering if he'd heard her wrong. When she made no move to speak or to act, he swallowed hard and dropped his gaze to the ring, now daring to slip out from between his fingers. With shaky hands, he placed the ring back inside its circular holder and placed the lid on top, firmly tightening it.
He sat back on his legs and licked his lips, his mind fuzzy with what had just happened, the little hairs on the back of his neck starting to stand. The rejection was crushing. The lack of an explanation was even more so.
Slowly, awkwardly, he got to his feet. He tucked his fingers inside his collar and undid the top button, stretching out the fabric, giving him room to breathe. He glanced around the room at all the candles and rose petals, inhaled the smell of Grandma Esther's noodles that he'd taken the time and effort to cook carefully to perfection.
He knew he couldn't avoid it any longer, so he hesitantly looked back on Iris, not sure what he hoped to find there and even less sure of what he found.
"Are you going to leave?" She asked, curious without condemnation.
He swallowed again. "Do you want me to?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and shook her head, then pulled his face down to hers, nudging her nose up so it brushed against his.
"What do you want, Iris?" He asked, a hitch to his voice, almost breathless, and crushing.
"I want Grandma Esther's noodles," she said contemplatively, starting to sway and forcing his tense body to sway with her. "I want some mint chocolate chip ice cream," she continued, as casually as if she were just making a grocery list aloud. "And then, I want you to ask me to marry you." He stilled, and she stilled with him. "Again."
His gulp this time was clearly visible in his throat.
"Again?" He managed.
She nodded. "Mhmm."
"I don't know if I can take rejection a second time, Iris," he said, tears filling his eyes.
She felt them start to drip onto her cheeks and knew she couldn't keep up the charade.
"Yes," she said on a soothing sigh.
He blinked. "What?"
"Yes, Barry Allen." She tugged him down by his chin and planted a kiss on his lips. "I'll marry you," she whispered.
He gave a choked cry and gathered her into his arms.
"Oh my god, you scared the hell out of me, Iris," he gasped for air, as if he couldn't breathe.
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his neck.
"'M, sorry, Barry," she mumbled into his skin.
He pulled back to look at her, cradling her face in his hands.
"Why would you do that?" He asked, desperation clear in his searching eyes.
She sighed softly and scolded herself for her silly reasoning.
"Because I want to jump your bones, babe."
His eyebrows furrowed.
"If I said no, at least I'd get to eat first."
He gave a strangled laugh and shook his head, eyes glittering as he uncapped the metal ring box still clutched in his hand and took the ring out again.
Without asking he took her hand, and she let him. He slid the ring onto her finger, and then looked up at her, a bundle of nerves again.
"Yeah?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yeah."
He captured her lips in a passionate kiss that had her yearning for him everywhere, yearning for his lips, hands, and tongue to explore every inch of her body.
She groaned aloud.
"I wanted to eat first," she complained.
With a tremendous effort, Barry managed to detach from her, but he could not subdue the heat in his eyes.
"We can eat first." He licked his lips, as his eyes lowered to hers. Then they flickered up to her eyes. "If you want."
A mix of desire and frustration, she whined into her own initiated smoldering kiss.
"It's too late for that," she said between kisses. "I want you now."