Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Send Me On My Way

Needless to say, whenever Parker had earbuds in, you can bet her concentration on anything except her dancing was gone. She didn't pay attention when she crossed the street to S.T.A.R. Labs. Over the blasting music in her ears, she hadn't even heard the screeching tires of the truck. 

It was lucky for her that someone had been watching. 

Parker's body moved microscopically, her fists starting to curl, eyelids working on closing, as she was starting to react to the intense horn of the truck. 

When he ran, Barry had all the time in the world. For her, he didn't think about risking a second. He swept her from the street and to safety.   

Realizing whose arms she was in, Parker practically fell from his grasp. She took a couple breathless steps from him. 

"Remember to start hiding your face when I run with you. Dying from wind intake is a possibility, should I run too long with you in my arms," reminded Barry. 

"Barry!" snapped Parker.

"What?" asked Barry innocently. 

"Why did you just save me?!" 

"Are you seriously mad that you're alive?"

"Let's play this out, Barry!" she softly spoke only his name, as though there were people listening in. "You save me once. Then it turns into two, three, four times! Then what's going to happen? Someone is going to figure out I have some time of relationship with the Flash, and I'll get harmed, or worse. I know that is something we do not want."

The single word registering in his mind was 'relationship.' Barry rubbed at his eyes to recruit his brain back to argument mode. "Well, uh, maybe if you started paying attention to what's around you, I wouldn't need to be watching you," he offered. 

"Why the hell were you watching me in the first place?" asked Parker.

"Because I... I..." 

Parker moved past Barry. She was finished with his lack of care for the day. It was going to get them harmed, if he wasn't careful. 

Barry watched her go. He cared for her, that's why he was keeping an eye on her. It wasn't that hard to admit to himself. Admitting it to her was the problem.

××××

Footsteps shuffled to the door of Casa de Genius. They backtracked. They returned. The cycle repeated seven more times before the owner of the indecisive footsteps spoke her name quietly, then proceeded to wonder if they could talk. 

Parker swiveled in the chair. "About what?"

"Us," cringed Barry. 

"There is no 'us.'"

"I know there has to be some part of you that wants to, Park."

"And you're going to rely on that to get me to love you back?"

"I never said I loved you," defended Barry. He lowered his head, hiding his reddened cheeks. 

Parker tilted her head cockily. "Well, you certainly don't seem like you're denying it."

Passing by, Cisco yelled, "Shots fired!" before he sprinted away, having been caught on the end of a double glare from Parker and Barry. 

"You've given me two attempts for your trust. I've failed both. I have gotten your hopes up just to kill them, and I'm done with it," promised Barry. "I am now all Parker Sylas all the time."

"You're not obligated to have feelings for me. I'm fine with staying friends. I'm thinking about getting a companion to settle my loneliness anyway. Maybe a dog, cat... Lizard? No, a snake," decided Parker. 

Nose scrunched in disgust, Barry muttered, "Reptiles are weird. Not a fan."

"Good!" breathed Parker, "It'll keep you away."

Barry frowned. 

Although her words were intended rudely, Parker sighed. For the last time, she was leaving herself vulnerable to him, and Barry made a promise to them for it to work.