The absolute last thing Iris expected to see when she came home after a strenuous day at work was Barry, wearing his trademark handsome but goofy smile as he waited for her at their loft, holding up two pairs of roller skates.
"Roller skates," Iris noted, setting her bag down, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she placed a hand at her waist, "Why does the Flash need roller skates?"
"You remember Darrel's Roller Rink, right?" Barry asked excitedly, handing Iris the smaller pair of shoes, hers in purple, "They're closing down this weekend, and they're holding a farewell party tonight! I was thinking we could go…"
Iris offered Barry a small smile, as she sat beside him, taking his free hand. "Barry. It's ten-thirty in the evening. On a Wednesday…"
"But roller skating…" Barry countered gently, slouching in his seat with a pout, touching her hand. "It's fine if you're tired, or don't want to."
Iris grinned apologetically as she kissed his shoulder. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I have some… rather interesting… memories of when you and I went roller skating together at Darrel's as kids."
Barry blushed in embarrassment, and turned to Iris with heat rising in his cheeks. "Hey - I know I wasn't that graceful when I was younger, but I'm sure I can skate better now-"
"You tripped and busted your lip on the floor the first time we went," Iris laughed, leaning against him as he wrapped an arm around her, still blushing.
"That was only one time, Iris-"
"Yeah? Well, the second time we went a few months later, you broke your arm by crashing into the wall, and Dad had to take you to the hospital. And the third and last time we went, we were both fourteen and you begged me to come with you, like you are now, and I said yes. Now, if I remember this correctly, Mr. Allen," - she gently jabbed a finger in his chest knowingly - "Your feet went numb because you tied your laces too tightly, and you fell and got run over by four high schoolers."
Barry went red as a beet, and Iris chuckled as she kissed his cheek.
"I was a kid, then…" he murmured, and Iris ran her fingers through his hair.
"I know. I just hope you're better on your feet now, Barry," Iris replied with a beautiful smile.
Barry faced her with a smirk, and took both of her hands in his. "Seriously? You think I'm not good on my feet?"
"In running shoes, you are, no question," Iris explained, before holding up Barry's faded skates, "I'm worried about you in wheels."
Barry shrugged, and grinned as he offered Iris a hand, standing up. "I mean, there's only one way to find out, right?"
Iris arched an eyebrow, but took his hand. "What about dinner?"
"I was planning on taking you to that restaurant you love downtown," Barry assured suavely, walking backwards to the door, holding her hands.
"Oh?" Iris asked, picking up her skates off the ground and looping her arm through his.
"Yeah. And while we're in downtown, I was thinking we could go for a movie too, since the drive-in theater is right there too," Barry suggested, smiling at Iris.
"On a work night," Iris noted again, nodding curtly, "When I have a publication due tomorrow, and you have an entire set of lab reports to work on."
"Well… yeah."
Iris studied him for a while, before standing on her tip toes to brush a kiss over his mouth. "This is, without a doubt, one of the stupidest - but also one of the best - plans you've ever come up with in a long time. I'm in."
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- DBV