skinny love | barry allen

58

"Cisco, you good?" Barry questioned through the comms that morning, as we were all gathered together in the cortex to witness Barry and Wally's race.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Central City Speedster 500 is about to begin." Cisco announced, slowly turning to face us all. "But first, I've got five-to-one odds- Barry takes down Wally. Any takers?"

"Game of speculation? Are we betting?" HR asked immediately. "Yeah, no, I'm in. On my Earth, financial wagering was banned after an unfortunate incident with Vice President Al Capone."

"So, you're telling me, inter-dimensional travel, betting and coffee are all banned on your Earth?" I watched HR as he walked over to me and stood by me. "Man does your Earth suck-"

"Well, lucky for him, he lives here now." Iris chirped. "Put me down for twenty for Barry."

I raised my hand. "Fifty on Barry."

"Joe, got to be in it-" HR pointed a stick at him.

"No, not me." Joe immediately shook his head. "That's a Sophie's Choice I'm not gonna make."

"Eighty on Barry." Caitlin chimed in. "Mama needs a new confocal microscope."

"All right, HR, you put your life in my hands, so I know for a fact you like high stakes." Cisco was typing them into his phone. "How much you in for?"

"Wallace's recent speed tests ensure that he is a lock. Put me down for an Abe Lincoln." HR quickly followed up at our confusion. "Uh, a hundred. Whatever a hundred is on this Earth, put me down for that."

Barry's voice filled the room through the comms again. "Guys, we're ready."

"All right, all right- all bets are in, and may the odds be ever in your favor." Cisco turned his seat towards the screen. "Gentlemen, start your engines."

And then they were off, the six of us keeping our eyes early on the screen as Cisco spoke up first. "At the first marker, 1/3 of the way in, Flash is in the lead— or is that Kid Flash?"

"Kid Flash!" HR cheered. "Come on, little Joseph, go- come on, mama needs a new pair of shoes, come on, Wallace, down the lane!"

Iris laughed. "I think he's done this before-"

"Ooh, second marker." Cisco narrated for us. "Wally's in the lead."

"Yeah, Wallace!" HR was practically jumping. "That's my boy!"

Joe corrects him. "You mean that's my boy."

"That's your boy-" HR got ahead of himself and looks at Cisco. "I want to double down. I want to double down on that right now."

"Oh, HR, big spender." Cisco took his phone back out. "You serious?"

"Serious?" HR twirled his sticks in his hands. "Serious as a heart attack, Rich."

My eyes fell back onto the screen we were all so eagerly paying attention to a few moments ago. "Wait- they're neck and neck."

"And almost at the finish line." Caitlin added.

And then, the small dot that was meant to be Barry picked up its speed and beat Wally to the finish line.

"Yes!" I cheered along with Iris, Caitlin, and Joe, holding my palm out towards HR. "Pay up, Wells."

"Hm? Now?" HR went slightly wide eyed at all our palms held out toward him, stammering a bit. "Do you guys take IOUs?"

-

"Zee, Joe, hey, this one, is, uh-" Barry was struggling to find the right word when Joe and i joined him and Julian at the crime scene the next day.