Within Seconds // Barry Allen

Talking OTP

After two hours of receiving constant text messages from Iris, listing reasons why she should leave the house, Parker finally gave in and decided to go. She spotted her friends instantly upon entering the bar. 

"Hey, everyone," greeted Parker. 

Cisco and Caitlin, from their seats at the bar, waved. They dove back into their conversation right after. 

Iris and Eddie cheered. The two fell right back into their darts game. 

A creaking across the hardwood floor came when Barry dragged a stool to the table in between each pair. He patted it. 

"Fifth wheeling much?" asked Parker.

"I was until you showed up," said Barry. He tilted his glass in her honor. "Thank you for that, by the way."

"Not an issue at all," smiled Parker. 

"Speaking of issues," said Barry loudly, drawing in Cisco and Caitlin, "I have a problem."

"We all do when guys like him exist," admitted Cisco. 

Parker followed his gaze. She snorted when she discovered Cisco was fawning over Eddie Thawne, Central City's own heartthrob. Or, at least, he thought so. 

"Yeah," sighed Caitlin dreamily. "He's so hot."

Barry slapped Parker's back repeatedly when she choked on her beer. 

"Um, genetically speaking, of course, because I'm a geneticist," said Caitlin, attempting to redeem herself. "Oh, my God. Do I sound like Felicity?"

"I'm not talking about Eddie, I'm talking about this," said Barry. He drowned five shots, then looked at the trio expectantly. "I can't feel anything!"

"That's usually what happens when you drink too much," laughed Cisco.

"No, the alcohol is not affecting me. I mean, I literally feel nothing," stressed Barry.

Parker placed her hand on his shoulder. "Immunity to alcohol is not something to frown upon, my friend. That is a talent."

"It's your hypermetabolism. I need a sample," begged Caitlin.

Parker and Cisco left the table to supply more shots, vodka and jello alike. They lingered at the bar as the bartender mixed their request. 

"So, how are you two?" asked Cisco casually. 

"I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to ask," laughed Parker.

"Hey, I'm only human."

"Barry's on his last chance."

"He's not going to mess this one up. I have faith that Barker will be a thing."

"Oh, come on, seriously?"

"Or should we call you two Parry?"

"Parry sounds cuter," confessed Parker. She shook her head. "No, wait, what happened to not being biased in a relationship?"

"I don't think it's bias if we all want you two together," said Cisco. 

The bartender handed the tray of shot glasses to Parker. She held it at eye level as she breezed through the crowds of people. She slid the tray on the table. For each person, she gave six shots. 

"Were you a waitress?" asked Barry. 

"You looked oddly at home with a tray in your hands," noticed Caitlin. 

"Down at Larry's, yeah, I held the Waitress of the Month for eleven months straight," bragged Parker. She winked at Barry.

"Show off," he smirked.

"On three," declared Cisco. 

Responses to the alcohol varied. Cisco's pulled an excessive wince; Caitlin's eyes grew to the size of oranges for a couple seconds; Parker's right eye twitched without permission. But Barry? He remained unaffected.

"Still nothing?" asked Cisco. 

"I can't get drunk. I mean, I'm only twenty-five and my drinking days are already over," whined Barry. 

"There was a bombing on Eighth and Pass. I gotta go, babe," they overheard. Eddie nodded apologetically to their table as he passed by. "Sorry, guys!"

Excuses to leave Iris began brewing. 

"Oh, I'm beat," yawned Caitlin. 

Cisco rested his head on Parker's shoulder. "Can I crash at your place tonight?"

"No."

"It's getting late anyway, so I'm just gonna..." said Barry.

It came to be that their excuses weren't necessary. During their acts, Iris had muttered something about Jitters and an early shift. She was long gone by the time everyone voiced their own excuse for leaving. 

Parker tugged on Barry's shirt before he could leave. "Be safe," she stressed. 

In response, Barry kissed her cheek. He rushed from the bar. 

Cisco and Caitlin wiggled their eyebrows suggestively. 

"Quit it," mumbled Parker. 

"Guys, there's a window washer, he's going to fall!"

"Don't try to catch him!" said Cisco, hooking his earpiece in. "You don't have super strength."

"Is there, like, a bed store near here? What if I grab mattresses and stack them up?"

"Barry, this isn't a Road Runner cartoon," fretted Caitlin. 

Cisco pried a tablet from Caitlin's purse. He brought the map of Central City to the screen. Their eyes scanned across the screen for the red dot signifying Barry's location. 

"How fast would I need to go to run up the side of a building?"

The trio sent nervous looks to one another. 

"How far up do you need to go?" wondered Cisco.

"Oh, I don't know, fifty meters, give or take."

Cisco scribbled down an equation on a napkin. Parker watched him work out the math, almost surprised of how quickly his brain gears spun. She couldn't even get her brain to remember what nine multiplied by seven was.

"Hurry!"

"Running really fast couldn't hurt the situation," answered Parker quickly. She looked to Caitlin and Cisco for confirmation.  

"But you have to maintain your velocity on the way down, or..." Caitlin trailed off.

"Or what?"

"Splat."