A/N: Hey everyone! I have a new story that is a Snowbarry AU. This one is different than my others. If you guys liked Barry as Savitar in Season 3 then you may like this one. Let me know what you think so far and if you wanna read more. I can't believe Season 4 of The Flash is starting in less than a week. I'm watching the show for Caitlin and her Killer Frost struggle. I'm hoping it gets better. At least we still have our stories right? Snowbarries are the best writers, even better than the professional ones. Thank you for reading, bye all! :)
It rained again, more than usual that week. Being prepared for it was the last thing Caitlin Snow wanted to do. California had its rough odds and ends when it came to the weather. When you work at home you do have the luxury of every night pizza and vegging out in your PJs. It was something Caitlin wanted to do for as long as she could.
It wasn't that she went out of her way to avoid people, only half true, a couple people knew she existed at work and she wanted it to stay that way. The only mirror to the outside world was the internet. On a rainy day like today, it felt more like a second skin.
It was very easy to hide behind a screen, no one can tell Caitlin any different. But ironically it was the one place she didn't choose to hide.
Like an old friend she returned to the familiar as she clicked a few rudimentary keys and logged into Hackers Anonymous, a place where people like her can stroke a few keys in freedom and not have a care in the world. It was a fairly innocent chat room, many people from all walks of life come in to shoot the breeze; talk tech. Usually the time Caitlin joined the place was always active.
When she first came in it was difficult to figure out how to talk and which person to respond to. For a while now she was chatting with what looked like a male user, or so he said in the beginning of their private chatting sessions.
SlyFox logged online and Caitlin smiled instantly. She hesitated before tapping the button that sent an invite to a private message room. She didn't want to seem too eager; normally it was he who instigated the invitations.
She sipped her slightly chilled beer and checked the time. Ordinarily the place would be a lot more active than what she was seeing. It was still crowded but the conversations were sparse. She wondered if the hackers had anything to talk about. Usually there was some new program code that a user wanted to share; of course it would have to be in a secure area. Everyone who came into rooms was pretty skilled with high tech knowledge, knowing that was basic.
Caitlin walked away from her computer to get some food when she heard an alert chime. She knew what it meant and rushed to her computer screen to click yes on the inevitable invite.
She didn't respond right away because she wanted to take her time with what she wanted to say. The conversation always started simple enough, he was oddly a gentlemen as opposed to every other hacker in there who wanted to get laid. She supposed it was some nerd code.
SlyFox: Thought I'd found you here. :)
Caitlin read the message again, thinking of the right thing to say back until a light bub went off in her mind.
AngelEyes: What exactly do you win now?
SlyFox: The temporary pleasure of your company. :^)
AngelEyes: Of course, is this room secure?
SlyFox: Are you really asking that elementary question to the best hacker in the room? :)
AngelEyes: Sarcasm can't be detected through just words apparently. xp
SlyFox: Oh so that's what you call it? Too bad I can't hear your voice to tell.
Caitlin played with the bottom hem of her shirt, thinking of what to say next.
AngelEyes: And you wouldn't want to, I'd rather you hear that chime ring each time I reply, it's prettier.
SlyFox: What? You are you saying I wouldn't like it? Try me. I'm sure it matches your eyes, Angel. cx
AngelEyes: Oh stop it. So, you weren't on yesterday, was I boring you so badly you had to stay off the chat for a few days?
Caitlin tapped her nails on the desk, she was curious about this guy. For all she knew he could be anybody, but he certainly didn't feel like a fake. For the last couple of weeks they were having multiple back and forth conversations and have gotten to know each other through messaging. It was actually his idea to take it offline.
She rubbed the back of her tired neck when she saw three dots appear below her message.
SlyFox: I had to go take care of some things, I'm back now. Why, was I gone too long? Have you pmd another lonely hacker in my place? :'(
AngelEyes: No one but you Sly, I was apprehensive about it, you broke my pm cherry.
SlyFox: You really shouldn't talk like that; I'm still single you know. Don't wanna give me any weird ideas.
AngelEyes: We all know if you really were thinking that, you wouldn't need more when the endless source material is more convenient. xp
SlyFox: You're still single too? Wow, I'm actually shocked.
AngelEyes: Yeah, time to change the subject. So what were you doing offline?
SlyFox: What, I'm not allowed to have a life outside our conversations? -_-
AngelEyes: Not if you're breaking any laws, oh wait...
SlyFox: Why are you so curious? Everyone breaks laws. Pretty sure some jerk on the highway cut another one off today.
AngelEyes: Fair point. Why the secrecy? You got something to hide?
SlyFox: Everybody does Angel, even you.
Caitlin rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. Fox was being weird tonight. Normally he's all jokes and flirting, something was off with him tonight. Maybe he had a bad day at work or some woman rejected him. She didn't like him being so cryptic, she realized being serious came with the territory of a hacker, but the majority of the people in the chat were light and fun.
AngelEyes: I doubt it. Not many people care about my life anyway, it's pretty ordinary, didn't I tell you this already? Well I'm telling you now, I'm boring, that's that. :p
SlyFox: Not to me Angel, why do you think I'm still here? Why do you think I pulled you out of that chat and away from other hackers just so I could pm you all to myself?
AngelEyes: I keep asking myself this question actually, weren't there at least twenty female hackers trying to get your attention? They all had pics in their avatars. They wanted a piece of the Fox. xD
SlyFox: Well there is a reason why I'm here and you know what that is...
AngelEyes: Again, if I knew the answer I'd tell you, but here we are...
SlyFox: You know we hardly know each other; this is awkward for me to say...
AngelEyes: Spit it out Fox!
SlyFox: I...well...I just really want you to game with me on this program that I started up. You game?
Caitlin blew a breath a relief, she didn't have a clue what he was going to say but she laughed as she typed a reply.
AngelEyes: Alright Sly, send the .exe to my personal email, you know what it is. I gotta go to bed, 'night you.
She was sure he sent a silly emoji back before she logged off the chat and turned off her computer. The rain had subsided and she was grateful for it. She'd have to get up in the morning and start her errands early if she wanted to get any work done at home. She wasn't behind but she'd rather be safe than sorry, anything to avoid coming into work, dealing with those minuet suicidal cubicles.
She heard her text message alert go off and hesitated before checking it but did anyway. It was Dylan, reminding her to call him back regarding some information he had already sent to her email this morning.
"Great, couldn't he have told me in the morning? Now I have this to worry about." She said, huffing as she cleaned up the kitchen and went to the shower to get ready for bed.
Going to sleep was hard for her. Getting into bed was the easy part actually shutting her eyes and relaxing to the point of real REM sleep was the challenge. There was usually something on her mind, work she had to do, details she'd have to remember, messages she'd need to return when she wasn't up to her elbows in projects.
She placed her electronic devices away from her reach. She'd reach for them even at night being half asleep and they would distract her. Switching off the light she crawled inside the covers. She'd thought about the conversation she had with Fox tonight. He was a little off his game. She brushed it aside as she pulled the covers over while climbing inside.
She wondered for a moment what it was like to meet a guy outside of the anonymous room. What kind of life did they lead? Were they true basement dwellers or were they important people? She couldn't tell based on the scattered discussions that normally took place there. Her attention rose as her cell phone lit up, she rolled her eyes, debating whether to check the message. She couldn't help herself as she dragged her body up, half awake looking at the screen. Looking up close so she had a better view.
Unknown Number
Is your connection secure?
Caitlin winced as she blinked double time and stared at the message again. Deleting it she switched off her phone and walked back to bed, trying to put it out of her mind. She turned on her side and shut her eyes, finding it easier than she thought.
Out of the corner of her room, an illuminated phone screen switched back on.