#it's great seeing them go from blobs of paper barely staying together to this awesome colourful shape

[sandymybeloved]

whatever else happened this year, I picked up a new hobby, and that's worth celebrating

what's something you guys did this year that you personally want to celebrate?

[backtothestart02]

Sex Bet - Chapter 2: At the Club | Westallen + Cynco Fanfiction

For @wanderer765​

Many thanks to @valeriemperez​ for being an awesome beta and blessing me with a couple epic lines that still have me starry-eyed

I hope you enjoy! It’s epically long, so make sure you have time on your hands. Lol.

Chapter 2: At the Club

Cisco was feeling as chipper as ever when he strolled into STAR Labs bright and early Monday morning. The images in his mind from last night were still as clear as day. Cindy had been all over him at his apartment. She’d started wearing more revealing clothing too, and the way her long luscious locks intertwined with his was worthy of a romance novel book cover – one he may or may not have started to sketch in his mind, though he knew any attempt on paper would look like Barry Allen’s kindergarten drawing of a funky blob than was meant to be a sports car. (Iris had shown that to him recently, and Barry was yet to be made aware of it.)

Of course, that highly entertaining conversation had happened weeks before Barry and Iris decided their new favorite sex destination was his workshop, or alternately any room he was about to walk into. It was bad enough walking into that on his own, but having Cindy barely a beat behind him half the time and shoving her out of the room before she could see anything had left him mortified.

She was spending more and more time with him, and with Team Flash in general, and he couldn’t have loved that more. He was still dizzy from the fact that she had decided to stay on Earth 1 for good. He told himself it was for him, even if she wouldn’t admit it. She had a hard time admitting things, and he didn’t yet feel the need to push her on this particular subject. Not until she decided she was going to leave, which hadn’t happened and he prayed never would.

With Cynthia Reynolds being such a focus for him now, such a pleasant reprieve in the wake of Savitar’s defeat, the last thing he wanted was anything that would interfere – anything that didn’t involve saving the city of course. Priorities, Ramon.

So, Barry and Iris… Argh.

He stifled a grunt. That was last week. This is this week. Everything was settled now. There were rules. They had boundaries. Everything was going to be—

“Oh, hell no.”

He quickened his pace down the hall. He knew they weren’t. They couldn’t be. Iris had promised.

Fury built, threatening to explode when he saw the passion on display in the center of his workshop.

“Iris!”

Barry and Iris pulled away just enough to turn their heads and see a huffing Cisco storming into his workshop where they currently were.

“Yes, Cisco?” She asked calmly when his heavy breathing persisted.

“Wh-wh-what is the meaning of this?”

She raised her eyebrows.

“We talked about this, Iris,” he said, walking towards them. “You promised you wouldn’t-”

“The week is up, Cisco.”

His jaw dropped.

“And besides, you weren’t here and we are fully clothed.” She shrugged, brushing aside his concern.

Cisco’s gaze lowered to where Iris’s hand brushed Barry’s jeans suspiciously close to his crotch.

“Somehow, I doubt it would’ve stayed that way,” he said condescendingly.

Iris turned to face him, folding her arms beneath her breasts and arching one eyebrow.

“Something you want to say, Cisco?”

“As a matter of fact-”

“Make another bet, perhaps?”

“Iris-” Barry warned, his voice hiking up to a squeak. He was starting to seriously regret mentioning to her that he’d be up for another bet. Cisco could easily push for celibacy again, and if Iris felt provoked enough, she just might take on the challenge.

“We obviously can’t resist each other,” she said, which both made Barry blush and hot all over, but reassured him somewhat. “So you can’t dare us to not have sex. Not again.”

Cisco scoffed. He hadn’t wanted to initiate another bet at all. He just didn’t want two of his best friends making out in his space. But Iris was goading him. He worried he would cave to it.

“Because you wouldn’t be able to make it a week?” He taunted in return. “If I recall correctly, you only made it three days when I bet you couldn’t last week.”

“Barry gets cranky when we don’t have sex.”

“Hey-” Barry tried to interject, but Iris put two fingers against his lips to prevent further interfering.

“So, you’re saying it’s Barry’s fault you couldn’t follow through last week?”

“No.” She frowned. “It’s yours.”

Cisco opened his mouth to defend himself, but Iris kept talking so he couldn’t.

“Besides, if I recall correctly, you aren’t holding up your end of the bargain either.”

“If you’d just-”

“What’s the bet?”

His jaw dropped as the pieces fell into place.

“You want me to make a bet.”

Iris smiled slyly and shrugged.

“Call me adventurous. It gives me a high.”

Barry pulled her fingers away from his lips.

“I thought I gave you a high.” He frowned, his worry resurfacing.

Iris turned to look at her fiancé for the first time since Cisco had walked in.

“You do, baby.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and turned back to face Cisco.

“So, what will it be?”

“Uhhh…”

Cisco scrambled his mind for something that would satisfy her, still trying to process the fact that this was happening. Again.

“It can still be sex-related,” she informed him. “It just can’t involve celibacy.” She looked back at Barry and patted his cheek. “My poor Bear can’t take that.”

Annoyed by her insistence that he was the only one who would suffer, Barry lowered his hand down her back and squeezed one of her ass cheeks at the same moment he whispered hotly in her ear.

“I doubt you could, either.”

Cisco, who had since begun to pace as panic set in, looked up to find Barry sucking on Iris’s neck and Iris biting her bottom lip, barely suppressing a moan.

“Guys!”

He was scandalized, but there was no apology in Barry’s or Iris’s eyes that suggested guilt or shame.

Cisco took a breath and told himself to be satisfied with the fact he’d at least gotten their undivided attention.

“Hey, guys.”

The three turned to see who had entered the room.

“What are you guys talking about?” Cynthia asked, sidling up next to Cisco.

Afraid of what would come from either Iris or Cisco answering the question, Barry distanced himself an inch or two from Iris and focused entirely on the newcomer.

“We were talking about going out on a double date tonight, just the four of us.” He glanced at Iris and Cisco and was quietly relieved to see that neither were objecting. “There’s a new bar that just opened up downtown. It’s supposed to have good music and great service,” he said, cheerful as ever.

Iris raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the sales pitch he was trying to deliver.

“What do you say?” he asked, ignoring his fiancée and best friend’s looks completely.

Cynthia looked at Cisco and furrowed her eyebrows, not sure how to take his silence or the clear tension in his shoulders.

“Uh, sure… If Cisco’s in, I’m in.”

Cisco perked up at that, looked at his newly found girlfriend and grinned.

Another date with Cindy? How could he possibly refuse?

“I’m in.”

 …

 It shouldn’t have been awkward in the slightest. The four of them had been out before – albeit not just the four of them, but still. They’d been working together at STAR Labs ever seen Cynthia’s return; and Barry and Iris clearly approved of the Cisco and Cindy union, so it obviously wasn’t that. Yet somehow they felt like four strangers walking into the same club.

“Want to dance?” Iris offered, trying to break the ice. She turned to Cindy with raised eyebrows when no one immediately responded.

“Uh…” Cynthia stammered, surprisingly.

“The boys will get the drinks and then join us.” She glanced over at the two, most pointedly Barry. “Won’t you, boys?”

“Now, just wait a—”

“Yes, we will,” Barry said, guiding Cisco away from their ladies as he whispered under his breath. “Cindy does not need to see you dance, Cisco.”

Cisco frowned. “I resent that.” But he let Barry maneuver him through the crowd to the bar anyway.

“Thanks,” Cynthia said with a sigh, relief clear in her eyes when she addressed Iris.

Iris looked at her, amused.

“Oh, I wasn’t kidding. We’re dancing.” She grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

“I don’t really—”

“Not much of a dancer, huh?” Iris pointed out. “Or is dancing not an Earth 19 thing?”

“It’s not that. I just—”

“Here.” Iris put Cynthia’s arms around her neck and placed hers on her waist. “Close your eyes. Listen to the music. Let it move you.”

Not used to letting loose with anyone, though she had started to with Cisco, Cynthia tried and failed to follow Iris’s direction. She was most confident when at a little bit of a distance, and Iris was practically on top of her. But that wasn’t the only reason she couldn’t seem to relax. She had danced in a club before. That wasn’t the problem. And it wasn’t just a newly acquainted friend getting inside her personal bubble. She had a sneaking suspicion that she was about to spill out what was the problem, and that she was going to do it to the girl dancing right in front of her.

“I think Cisco’s losing interest.”

Iris’s eyes popped open. She stopped moving. She dropped her hands from Cynthia’s waist and Cynthia followed suit with her own pathetically positioned arms around Iris’s neck. She took a small step back and felt safer.

Iris couldn’t help it. She laughed, and then covered her mouth by way of apology.

“What makes you think that?” she asked when she managed to stop smiling.

Already regretting her admission, Cynthia looked around the club and found Barry and Cisco still facing the bar waiting for their drinks. She sighed.

“I just…”

“Come on.” Iris took her hand and led her off the dance floor. “Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”

 …

 “How long does it take to get a drink around here?” Cisco huffed.

“Four. Four drinks,” Barry said. “And we actually haven’t ordered yet.”

Cisco eyed him suspiciously. “Your point?”

“My point is that something’s off.” He raised his hand to alert the bartender and relayed four drinks he was fairly sure everyone would enjoy. “What’s up?”

“Oh, you mean besides you and Iris taking up my space to eat each other’s faces again? Even though Iris swore to me you guys would make an effort not to anymore?”

Barry rolled his eyes, completely sidelining the issue.

“Nah. That’s not it.”

Cisco’s eyes widened incredulously.

“It was awkward between the four of us when we walked in. Between the two of you specifically.”

Cisco averted his gaze. “Because I was still thinking about this morning,” he ground out.

“Ten hours later?” Barry asked dubiously.

Cisco took a deep breath. “Can we not right now? I want to get back to—” He scanned the room for the Iris and Cynthia and came up empty. “Where are they?”

Barry’s brows furrowed. “Who?” He glanced over his shoulder and then back at Cisco.

“Who?” He smacked his best friend lightly. “The women who are way out of our league. Obviously.” He snatched the drink that had been assigned to him and nearly downed the entire thing in one gulp. “Waaay out of our league.” His words made the beverage bubble up over our lips.

“It’s about Cynthia.”

Cisco laughed. “Perceptive.”

“What about her?” he pressed. “Have you lost interest?”

He laughed again. Louder this time.

“Have you seen her?”

Barry shrugged. “Well—”

“If anyone is in danger of losing interest, it’s her, not me.”

“You think she is?”

Cisco sighed loudly. “No. At least, I don’t think she has. Last night she certainly didn’t seem to…”

Barry’s eyes widened. “Have you two…you know…?”

Cisco felt the heat creep up his neck. “No. Not yet.”

“Why not?” Barry asked, leaning in to hear better and looking very much like a high school girl eager to gossip. Cisco had to shake his head to push aside the similarities. “You want to, right?”

“Well, yes. Obviously.”

“Then…?”

“I just…”

“You want it to be special.”

Cisco blinked, as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “Well, yeah, actually.” His brows furrowed. “How did you know?”

“Cisco.” Barry rolled his eyes. “During your short-lived relationship with Kendra, you basically told me you were in love with her. You couldn’t even bring yourself to plan on sex without making a romantic night of it first and even breakfast the next morning.” He paused. “You’re a romantic.” He grinned. “Like me.”

“Yes, well, the problem with that is I don’t know if Cindy is. Or if she’d appreciate something like that. She doesn’t exactly open up easily. I don’t know if she’d even admit we were dating if someone asked her point blank.”

“You are dating, though, right?” Barry took a sip of the drink he knew wouldn’t get him drunk. A fruity cocktail, since he needed something for taste. “I mean, I hardly see either of you without the other since she came back to stay for good.”

“I’m hoping it’s for good. But I mean, it’s only been two weeks.” He took a breath, then took the plunge. “How long did you and Iris wait?”

Barry tried to control the blush, but it was inevitable.

“A while. But we had a lot going on, and we have a lot of non-couple history that’s as complicated as it gets. Before we moved in together, though.”

“You were dating for months, though.”

Barry nodded. “And battling Alchemy and Savitar and trying to make up for Flashpoint. No such obstacles are in your way.”

“I just…don’t want to push her away. I don’t want to turn her off.”

“She would probably consider sex easier than a love confession.”

Cisco shrugged. “Yeah, I know…”

“You wouldn’t, though?”

He shook his head. “I’ve been totally smitten ever since I met her.” His eyes glazed over the crowd until he found Cynthia and Iris walking back into the room. “Even when she was trying to kill me.”

Barry laughed and followed Cisco’s gaze.

“I think you should tell her.”

Cisco blinked, horrified. “What?”

“Tell her how you feel.”

“No. Okay, did I… I just got finished telling you what a bad idea that would be, and here you’re… You’re suggesting that—” He made some groaning noises of frustration that Barry ignored.

“You’ll never know how she’ll take it if you don’t try,” Barry said, growing more confident by the minute. “And you don’t have to tell her directly. Grab the mic from the DJ, say it to the crowd. But look at her when you’re doing it. She’ll get the message.”

“And if it doesn’t work? If it’s an epic fail and I scare her so bad she runs off to Earth 19 never to be seen again?”

“If it doesn’t work, you tell her you’re drunk and ask her to forget it happened.”

“But I’m not drunk.”

“It’s not too much of a stretch to say you are.”

Cisco opened and closed his mouth, not sure how to take that. Barry squeezed his shoulder.

“You can do this. I know you can.”

Cisco swallowed hard and downed the rest of his drink, worried even now that he would take this really terrible advice his best friend had just given him.

…

 “So, that’s what you guys were talking about earlier? Bets?”

Iris shrugged, smiling at the memory.

“What can I say? Barry and I abstaining for so long made the sex even more incredible. I wanted to find a way to reach that high again. One that didn’t involve celibacy, since my poor baby Bear couldn’t handle it more long term.”

“I thought you said it was only three days.” Cynthia frowned, confused.

“It was.” Iris blinked, also confused. Then she felt heat rise in her cheeks when the realization dawned on her. “Three days is a long time for a speedster,” she explained, avoiding Cynthia’s speculative gaze.

“A long time for a flesh and blood female too?”

Iris cleared her throat delicately. “Has it been that long for you and Cisco yet?”

It was Cynthia’s turn to avoid eye contact, and Iris knew she had successfully turned the spotlight off herself and onto Cisco and Cynthia’s love life.

“We haven’t, uh…done that…yet.”

Iris’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. “It’s only been two weeks, Iris.”

“Well, yeah, but…I mean….”

“What.”

“It’s just…” She crowded in a little closer as they reached the high-top table. “You don’t seem the type of girl to sit around and wait if you really want something. Unless-” She paused, a thought occurring to her.

“What?”

“Unless you really meant what you said when you told him he couldn’t handle you.”

Cynthia flushed at the memory, remembering a time when her walls were up all the time, and the slightest inkling of feelings for Cisco Ramon felt like a giant warning sign to avoid him at all costs. That wasn’t to say every single wall had been taken down now, but she wasn’t actively fighting to keep them up as much anymore either.

Iris spotted Barry at the bar from across the room. She saw him reach for his drink and watched his bicep ripple as he brought the glass to his lips. She needed to speed this thing up – and fast. Despite the fact that Flash business hadn’t been too hectic today, her work at CCPN had been. There had been no time for a quickie at lunch. It had to be at least twelve hours since they’d had sex. If they were lucky, they had sex three times a day. And for the last four days, they’d made those days lucky ones.

When Barry caught her gaze, she saw the change in his eyes, the hunger, how he didn’t look away from her – or even blink, from what she could tell – though there were people walking and dancing between them. Unknowingly, she leaned forward a bit into the table and brought her elbows closer together, unintentionally pushing up her cleavage. Barry’s eyes dipped down to her chest and she felt moisture pool between her legs.

“Okay.” Iris brought her hand down hard on the table, wishing she hadn’t seen the suggestive smirk on Barry’s face right before she did it. Cynthia blinked and looked at her. “You need to go get some guys’ numbers.”

Cynthia scoffed. “That’s your genius plan?”

Iris cleared her throat. “Yes. It will work. I promise it will work. It’ll make him jealous.”

“And why would I want to make him jealous?”

“To prove he’s into you!” She smacked her arm lightly. “Obviously.” Cynthia opened her mouth to respond, but it was no use. “I mean, he is. But you need reassurance. Maybe he needs reassurance too. Once you both have it, you can go back to his place and have sex. Win-win.”

“I don’t think—”

“I’ll even do it with you!” she said excitedly, belatedly wondering if it was possible to get drunk without having a single drop of alcohol in your system. “Whoever gets the most guys’ numbers win fifty bucks.”

Cynthia’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” Iris popped her lip. “I know for a fact Barry has a fifty in his wallet.”

Cynthia raised her eyebrows, amused.

“Won’t Barry not be happy about you hitting on other guys?”

She shrugged that off. “I’ll tell him what’s up. He’ll be fine.”

Cynthia hesitated a moment more, and then, “Fine.”

“Yes!” Iris pumped her fist. “This is going to be great. You’ll see. Both our boys are going to love us forever when the night is done.”

Cynthia sincerely doubted this plan was going to result in that, but she knew there was no swaying Iris now. She had to accept her fate. A fun, casual night at the bar had suddenly become Project: Make Cisco Jealous. She only hoped it would fix the slight tension between them, not make things worse.

…

Barry was not fine.

Iris had told him what was up, her “genius” plan to get Cisco and Cindy on the same page again. He didn’t like it, and he was 100% certain it would backfire. His plan was so much better. And why did there have to be money involved? Cindy probably missed her gig back on Earth 19 of capturing criminals for cash. Just the mention of payment as a reward had probably sold her immediately.

What worried him even more was he couldn’t spot Cisco anywhere. He’d let him go when he said he needed some prep time to gather courage for his impending speech, but it’d been fifteen minutes now – fifteen minutes of both ladies flirting, gathering numbers, indulging men with their leering looks and pretending to be interested. Barry had just about had enough.

Just before this plan was enacted, Iris had been looking at him from across the room like she was ready to devour him, like she wouldn’t mind at all if he sped over to her and fucked her in the middle of the dance floor or took them to a back corner of the club where he could hear the dirty whispers in his ear when she told him what she wanted him to do to her.

Her look coupled with what he decided was the intentional pushing together of her breasts – and if it wasn’t, that was somehow even more of a turn on – made him hard instantly. He’d seen her shift uncomfortably, crossing her legs where she stood, and knew he’d affected her too.

If only Cisco and Cynthia weren’t having problems. If only they weren’t in the middle of a club with probably a hundred people around them. If only it was just them. No clothes. Just…

Iris slid next to Barry, smug and a little tipsy. She waved a slip of paper in his face and giggled.

“How many is this?” he asked, trying his best not to show any irritation.

“Number five,” she said gleefully. “Five guys want to go out with me, Barry. Five!”

Definitely tipsy.

Iris glanced over his shoulder and gasped, placing a hand on him to see who was coming in the door.

“Oh, my god. A whole bunch of cute ones just got in.”

Barry’s eyebrows narrowed, and he turned to see who she was looking at. He didn’t think they were attractive, which probably made sense. Maybe Iris’s drunken state was making her judgment fuzzy.

“How many drinks have you had, Iris?”

She blinked and looked back at him. “Huh?”

“Drinks. How drunk are you right now?”

She gasped, scandalized. “I…” But then her face smoothed over and a sober, indulgent smile graced her features. “Just one, babe.” She kissed him quick, not letting him linger the way he liked to. “I’ve learned it helps to be gorgeous and borderline drunk if you want to get a guy’s number.”

Barry shook his head at her, amazed.

“And what about this guy?” He pointed to himself. “What if this guy wants to take you home right now so he doesn’t have to see all these guys hanging all over his fiancée –” He pulled her ring of his shirt pocket. The biggest irritation of this whole game had been when she forced him to hold onto it so guys wouldn’t think she was a cheat.

“Barry.”

She covered the ring quickly and forced him to tuck it away again. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

“I want you all to myself, Iris,” he whispered hotly in her ear. He felt the shiver course through her and felt some measure of relief. “Is that so wrong?”

“I have to win,” she complained.

He whined. “Why?”

“Because… Because…”

He raised his eyebrows, waiting.

She changed course. “I thought you said you’d be up for more bets.”

“Seeing you flirt with every guy that isn’t me isn’t exactly an upgrade from not having you period.”

“But you’ll have me tonight,” she assured him. “I promise.”

“Iris.”

Actual pain shone in his eyes, and Iris felt herself weaken.

“I had to watch you be with guys who weren’t me for almost my entire life. And then you almost got married, and I thought I’d lost my chance forever. Several times I thought that. Are you really going to torture me by deliberately reminding me of that time in my life?”

She gasped quietly.

“That is blackmail, Barry Allen.”

He ran his hands down her arms and smiled softly.

“You have five numbers, right?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she nodded. “Yes.”

“How many does Cynthia have?”

Iris sighed. “Four last I checked, but she hasn’t been trying that hard and she’s gotten that many, so she could have a lot more in all this time I’ve wasted talking with you.”

His lips twisted. “Ouch.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Sorry. I just—”

“Hey, it’s okay. This is your new kick, I get it. But maybe let Cisco and Cynthia win this round, and we’ll get the next one, okay?”

Her eyes lit up. “The next one? You mean—”

“Can I have your attention please!”

The loud voice boomed by the DJ before Barry could answer. Cisco. Looking super confident and ready to declare his love to none other than Cynthia Reynolds.

“What is he doing?” Iris’s brows furrowed.

That was when Barry realized he hadn’t told her his plan.

“I apologize for interrupting all of your epic dance moves, but I'm a lovelorn fool with something very important to say.”

“Professing his love,” Barry beamed proudly.

Iris spun around, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. “Your idea?”

He grinned. “Yep.”

“Oh, Barry, that is so sweet,” she gushed, instantly making him forget about the jealousy he’d been feeling.

“That’s why you love me, right? Because I’m sweet?”

She was dazzled. Not many guys would consider being called sweet a compliment. But Barry did. He got a high over her calling him that.

“One of the reasons,” she said, smiling. Her arms wrapped around his neck pulling him down until—

“There’s a beautiful, unearthly woman here tonight who I very much… Who the hell are you?”

A breath away from brushing each other’s lips, Barry and Iris turned to see Cisco halt halfway through his romantic speech when he spotted Cindy flirting with who ended up being guy number seven on her list for the bet.

“I’m trying to make a speech here, and you’re interrupting me!”

Barry pulled away from Iris, prepared to speed his best friend out of there should the buff guy he was addressing decide to take advantage of his physique when he responded to Cisco’s insults.

“She’s not yours.” Cisco came down off the stage.

“Cisco,” Cynthia seethed, but he didn’t hear her.

“You know this guy?” the buff man asked Cindy, looking doubtful. She was rendered speechless.

“Of course, she knows me. I’m her boyfriend.”

The man laughed. “Sure, small fry.”

“Small f—” Cisco growled behind closed lips. “I’ll show you—”

“Barry,” Iris urged.

“On it.”

But in the split second before Barry interceded, Cisco hit his mark.

“You are – you are the – I – I’m in love with her.”

Barry sped to a stop. Cynthia’s jaw dropped, feeling both mortified and conflicted.

Iris swooned. “Aww, Cisco,” she whispered to herself.

“Want me to get rid of—” the buff guy tried, but Cynthia blew them both off and stormed out of the room.

Cisco looked at Barry, horrified, but after a few excruciatingly slow seconds, he spun around and went after his girl. When he was gone, Barry returned to Iris and slid onto the stool across from her.

She didn’t say a word, just looked at him, demanding answers.

He shook his head. “I thought it was a good idea,” he said dejectedly.

“Aww, baby, it was.” She dragged her fingers down the side of his face and tipped his chin up so he was forced to look at her. “It would’ve made me jump right into your arms.”

“Yeah?” he grinned sheepishly.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Yeah,” she said, and kissed him.

…

 “Cindy! Cindy, wait!”

Cynthia stopped, fuming, and turned around to face him.

“What the hell was that, Cisco?”

“I…I was trying to…”

She raised her eyebrows, waiting for what she hoped was an epic explanation.

“It was Barry’s idea!” he defended.

“For what?” Her eyes blazed.

“To see if you were still into me!”

She was rendered speechless, but only for a moment.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“What made you think I wasn’t interested? I’ve practically been throwing myself at you, and you’ve rejected all of my advances.”

“I wanted it to be special!”

She snorted. “Special?”

Heat, brought on by embarrassment and irritation, spread into his neck and face.

“Yeah.” His eyebrows narrowed. “I’m in love with you, remember?”

“And you thought the best way to tell me that was in a room full of people while I was—”

“Flirting with a guy that wasn’t me. Yeah, amazing how that can set a guy off.”

Cynthia groaned and closed her eyes in frustration.

“I knew I should not have let Iris drag me into that.”

“Wait.” Cisco started to relax. “It was Iris’s idea?”

“Why would I flirt with someone I had no interest in unless I was coerced into it?”

Cisco started to smile when he recalled all the blatant flirting she’d engaged in with him during the past two weeks.

“Does that mean you’re…uh…interested in me?” He stepped closer to her, grinning unashamedly.

Cynthia rolled her eyes, trying to stay mad, but that smug grin on his face was infectious and spread to her own.

“I’m dating you, aren’t I?”

“Are you?” He held his breath. The tone of his voice hadn’t changed, but his heart was racing.

She shook her head, eyes blazing. “You infuriate me, Cisco.”

Her hand wrapped around his neck and she lunged at him, kissing him the way she had the first time, all passion and disregard for who might be watching.

“I love you, though,” he said, his lips still puckered.

She sighed and shook her head. “I’m not there yet, Cisco.”

A blank look shown on his face, quickly shifting into panic.

“But,” she continued before he could jump to any ridiculous conclusions. “I’ll get there.” She felt Cisco relax beneath her fingertips. “Just give me a little more than two weeks, okay?”

He laughed. “Yeah, okay.”

“And maybe…” One of her hands left his face and traveled slowly down the length of his shirt, grabbing a hold of his belt buckle when she reached it and pulling him closer. “We can advance our relationship in another way?”

Cisco gulped. “Uh, yeah, I’d be open to that.”

She smirked. “You think you can handle me?”

He couldn’t look away. “I’m certainly going to try.”

…

 Barry collapsed on top of Iris after their third round later that night.

“Oh, my God, Barry.”

He groaned. “You’re insatiable, Iris,” he purred against her neck.

Iris shivered beneath him and held on tighter.

“Think everything went okay with Cisco and Cindy?” she heard herself asking absentmindedly.

“Mhmm,” Barry murmured, pressing a kiss and a quick lick to the sensitive spot behind her ear, reveling in the returning shiver.

“How do you know?” she asked on a moan and then wondered why.

Barry reached across her, blindly fumbling for his phone as he kissed his way down her neck. Her breath hitched when he reached her collarbone.

“Bar—”

He lifted his head, scrolled through his phone till he found the text, and then turned it around to show her.

“Look,” he instructed, smiling smugly at the intoxicated look on her face.

Iris’s eyelashes fluttered as her eyes open and made a half-hearted effort to focus on the screen.

It was a picture of a half-naked Cisco holding up his thumb and smiling into the selfie where Cynthia clearly slept beside him looking to be covered only by a sheet.

“She’s not going to be pleased he sent this to you,” Iris commented, raising an eyebrow when she shifted her gaze to catch his.

Barry grinned, stole the phone out of her hand and sealed her parted lips with a kiss.

“Let him worry about that,” he murmured, setting the phone on the end table and letting her push him onto his back when he returned to her.

“Again?” he asked, sounding surprised but not resisting in the slightest.

“If I’m sore in the morning, I’ll let you know.”

His brows furrowed, concerned. “Do you think you will be?”

She grinned seductively and scooted down his body until she reached her intended destination.

“I don’t think so,” she said, her breath on his tip before she swallowed him whole.

*Also available on AO3 and FFnet.