skinny love | barry allen

39

"Uh, it didn't look this deep on the map." Cisco threw a rock down the canyon we were at, that took forever to hit the water, making Barry's eyes go wide.

"That's 'cause maps are flat." I shot him a look, then handed him my fries, starting to take a step towards the edge, "Me next-"

"No!" Barry grabbed me by my waist from behind and pulled me back, "This is, like, 1,000 feet deep-"

"And?" I look at him, my hands resting on his arms, "You think that's gonna stop me?"

"If I had a dime for every time I stopped you for doing something stupid-" Barry began to say.

"Well, you want to get faster-" I pointed at him, "Maybe- saving your girlfriend that's plummeting to her death is the motivation you need."

Barry opens his mouth to speak, but then purses his lips, knowing that I might've had a point.

"So- to reach escape velocity, you're gonna have to go-" Harry walked over and showed Barry his calculations, "That fast."

"Well, that fast is impossible." Barry let go of me, his eyes wide, "I can promise you that."

Harry stares, quoting, "Nothing in life is promised except death."

"Edgar Allan Poe?" asked Barry.

Harry shut his notebook, "Kanye West."

Cisco joins us with Caitlin, handing me my fries, "If it makes you feel any better, Evel Knievel cleared a line of cars that was twice this long, and he didn't even have superpowers, unless you count that sweet-ass ride."

"Do you hear yourself?" Barry looked at him.

"What?" Cisco began, "Look, you're gonna be fine. I'm 80% sure of it- okay, 76. Like, a strong 72- I can't stop, Zee, help-"

"My offer still stands." I ate a fry, shrugging lightly, "You catch me? Great. I plummet to my death and become a splat on the side of a mountain? Also great-"

Cisco looks at me, "Not helpful-"

Caitlin pitches in, "If you don't feel ready, you probably shouldn't do it."

"Not helpful!" Cisco points at her as well.

"Look, Zoom's still out there- and once I find a way back to Earth-2, I have to be faster than him." Barry sighs, "And, I mean, right now- I wasn't even fast enough to save Jay."

Harry and I exchanged looks.

"I have to try." said Barry, before putting on his mask, turning his back towards us as we headed back to give him some room.

"When are we going to tell them?" I quietly asked Harry when we backed away, looking up at him.

"Once we can prove to them we're right." Harry said back quietly, looking at me, "Think about it this way- thinking Jay's dead makes him want to get faster."

"Death is a good motivator-" I snap my fingers once, then my attention was caught immediately when Barry ran and made the jump, "Oh, god-"

Caitlin calls out, "He's gonna make it-"

Everything was good until he fell, my eyes widening, a shout leaving my lips as I rushed to the edge, "No!-

"Oh, damn-" Harry rushes after me and grabbed my arm before I got too close to the edge, Caitlin right by us.

"Why'd you have to bring those drones along, Cisco? Oh, I don't know-" Cisco was mocking us, his drones holding a net with Barry in it, "You're welcome, everyone!"