If You Can't Be With the One You Love

A Missing RSVP

Barry's alarm sounded, waking him from his rest. He turned on his shoulder to silence the obnoxious ringing. He rolled on his back and blankly glared at the ceiling above him as he mentally prepared for the day ahead.

He felt a subtle movement coming from the other side of the bed, causing his attention to shift to the woman laying beside him. Her dark locks flipped over her shoulder as she turned her head to face him. She spoke with a grin.

"Good morning."

Barry felt a timid smile form as he pecked her lips gently. "Morning, Iris."

She moved herself closer to Barry, nestling her body against his. "Three more days."

"Until what?" Barry asks smugly.

"Shut up," Iris says while playfully hitting his chest, keeping her hand there after. "I know you've been counting down the days as well."

"Been counting down since I was eleven." Barry finishes, rubbing her shoulder gently before kissing the top of her head. The two sit in comfortable silence as the allow their bodies to wake up for the day.

Every morning felt the same to Barry. Touch of the snooze button, a kiss on the lips, the occasional bacon and eggs, and a speed off to the precinct. It slowly began to seem like a tedious routine. He sensed that little to nothing would change when he and Iris officially tie the knot.

Apart of Barry worried he was getting cold feet as the big day neared. The majority of his young life, he dreamed about the day he would marry Iris West. It was always her. He believed that he was finally getting the girl. Yet this fear consumed him. It haunted his thoughts daily.

He loved Iris. Every time he looked at her, he felt the same flutters he felt in elementary school. His affections towards her never changed. But more recently, fear and regret sometimes tagged along with the love. He could not pinpoint the origins of these feelings but they were there, screaming at him. He was never unfaithful. He was never untruthful. Everything that ever meant something to Barry, Iris knew.

She was his best friend. How could he have this sense of doubt?

"Have you talked to Oliver yet?" Iris asked Barry as he fastened the buttons on his shirt. He immediately stopped and looked at her with confusion.

"About what?" He asks, not taking his eyes off of hers.

She pulls up an invitation with a yes marking on the bottom. "I got this from Felicity. I haven't gotten anything from Oliver."

Barry shrugged his shoulders as he went back to buttoning his top. "He's my other groomsman. He probably doesn't think he has to RSVP."

"You men." Iris states with sarcastic disdain. "Is it that hard to confirm an appearance?"

"It's Ollie we're talking about," Barry begins with a smirk. "He wouldn't miss it."

"Well," Iris says while handing Barry a mug of coffee and his briefcase. "Can you at least call him? Clarify he's still coming?"

Barry plants a soft kiss on her lips. "Of course."

He begins to walk towards the door before Iris yells at him, "and remind him that your tuxedo fittings are the day before!"

"Got it." Barry says with a slight annoyance as he starts his run to the office.

The daily trek felt the same. It was his favorite part of the morning. A feeling of solidarity as he ran on a self-carved trail. A feeling of peace as the wind caught his quick feet and whipped upon his face. The feeling that time was on his side and not the other way around. It was calming. It was a nice escape from his everyday endeavors.

He almost felt a sense of dread on today's run. He knew when he reached the precinct he would have to make a call. There was something unnerving, eating Barry away at the thought of the conversation he was about to partake in.

The run went by faster than Barry had hoped and he found himself in an elevator, heading up to his quarters. He was immediately met by a familiar face as he walked up the stairs towards his crime lab.

"Allen," he says, stopping Barry in his tracks. "Did you finish your report on yesterday's meta case?"

"Not yet," Barry replied, picking his pace up as he continued to rush up the stairs. "But I promise that I'll have it to you in an hour, Captain Singh."

Barry jogged to his lab, setting his belongings down in his desk chair. He walked towards the large window that overlooked Central City. It was one of his favorite views of the city he grew up in.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through his contacts. He felt his heart rate begin to rise as he neared the "O" names in his list.

Oliver Queen.

Barry felt his thumb slightly tremble as he tapped on the contact. He took a shaky breath of anticipation as the phone rang. Once, twice, three times.

"Goddamnit, Ollie." Barry mumbled to himself. "This is the third day in a row."

Barry had been attempting to get in touch with Oliver since the beginning of the week. He had yet to pick up the phone. Barry tried to send him a text message. He left it on read.

After the fifth ring, Barry heard a familiar tone come through his ears. "It's Ollie. Leave a message."

Barry bit his lip in frustration. He clenched his fist, trying to make sure his anger did not transfer into his voice.

"Ollie, it's Barry. Again." Barry said solemnly. "Just wanted to check in. Make sure you were still coming Saturday. We have a fitting on Friday. Please give me a call."

Barry felt his tone hint at desperation towards the end of the message. His annoyance at Oliver was prominent yet his fear and worry also made an appearance. Oliver was one of his closest friends. He had been someone that Barry could confide in.

Very little understand certain aspects of Barry's life— both of his parents are dead. He works as a crime scene investigator while also protecting the city under a mask. He has secrets that follow him everywhere he goes. No one understands and empathizes with Barry in the manner that Oliver does.

Oliver was one of his two groomsmen. Him being there meant everything to Barry. The thought of him not being there pained him to no end.

It felt as if Oliver had little to no interest in coming. And that's what hurts worst of