A/N: mostly based on a Tumblr prompt:
the-redthread:
I want the love story of Julian Albert slowly falling for the flash all the while despising his work "roomie" Barry Allen.
Xxxx
xxxx
When they figured out where the meta was holed up, the flash sped off to the scene, sonic disrupted strapped to his hip.
"remember Barry, you have to get in close for the disruptor to take effect."
"Got it." Barry replied, stopping outside the warehouse. "Anyone home?" The flash called out as he walked through the silent warehouse.
"the flash, here? What a surprise." The woman laughed from the shadows.
"I don't want to hurt you." The flash assured her.
"Oh I can take it." She laughed, distorting the room. The flash struggled to keep his footing, searching the room for her.
"You really think the two of you can take me!?" She roared throughout the rippling warehouse.
"Two of me?" Barry asked, still struggling to move towards her voice.
"You, and the small cop outside, bleeding out his ears." She replied. Barry glanced back at the door. If there was someone else being affected by her, they wouldn't survive it for long. Even with his speed, the distortions bled through each step. He pushed past the doors, noticing the gun-toting Julian clutching his head by the entrance.
"Dammit," Barry whispered, before carrying Julian to a safe distance.
Julian groaned, looking around at the new surroundings.
"Flash." He said quietly.
"What were you doing there, you could have been killed." The flash vented, wiping the trail of blood from below Julian's ear.
"I may not have superspeed, but I can handle myself." He huffed, batting the Flashs Hand away lightly.
"Just stay here." The flash pleaded before speeding off. Julian almost laughed as he tried to catch his breath.
"Cisco; she's gone."
"What do. you mean gone? What happened?"
"Julian was there, I had to get him to safety."
"Why would Julian be there?" Caitlin asked.
xxxxxxx
"You're late." Julian huffed as Barry walked into the lab the next morning.
"Yeah, sorry, I slept through my alarm." Barry replied. Julian laughed bitterly, focusing back on his work.
"so," Barry started after a few minutes of silence.
"no, Barry, I don't need your help." Julian replied disinterestedly.
"no-I was just trying to make conversation." After another five minutes of Julian silently working, Barry tried again. "What do you do. on your free time?" Barry asks.
"Why the sudden interest?" Julian replied coldly. Barry huffed, but didn't reply. They didn't talk more than necessary for the rest of the workday.
xxxxx
that night Team flash again found the meta. And as the flash searched the area, he again found Julian Albert sneaking towards the entrance.
"what are you doing here?" The flash hissed, causing Julian to jump.
"I should've known you'd be here." Julian huffed.
"Yeah, you should have. Now get out of here." The flash whispered back. "Unless you want your ears to start bleeding again."
"Well how else was I to get saved by you again?" Julian smirks. A sound rings out from behind and the doors.
"get out of here." flash reiterates before speeding inside.
"Back for more, flash?" She giggles. The room ripples beneath the flashes feet but he speeds towards her. Her laughter grows, knocking Barry to the ground. Taking it from its holster, the flash flipped on the disruptor. As it lit up, the room began to stabilize. The meta screamed, kicking his hand and launching the device across the room. The flash ran for it, but the laughter again landed him on the ground.
"You know flash," she began, walking up to him. "I'm impressed you could counter my power, but not my humanity." As she stood over the flash a shot broke through the air. She clung at her calf, falling to the ground. As the flash's vision stablabizes, he saw Julian standing over him, offering a hand up.
"You're never going to listen to me, are you?" The flash asked with a smile, before speeding off with the disruptor and the meta.
xxxx
"I knew the flash would catch you, Hysteria." Cisco cheered as the flash walked her to her cell. "You like that? I've been working on it all day." He said to Caitlin. Hysteria laughed weakly, still in the sonic disrupted field.
xxx
the next day Barry brought Julian a coffee.
"Your lucky I'm in a good mood." Julian frowned, before taking the cup.
"Oh? Why's that!" Barry asked.
"Because you're late." He replied over the brim of his cup.
"no-I, I meant why are you in a good mood?"
"We're not mates, Allen." Julian sighed, returning to his work. "Make your self useful and run these tests for me."
xxx
that night the flash stopped two robberies, but did not run into Julian again.
xxx
"Sorry I'm late," Barry started as he walked into the lab, a coffee in each hand.
"are you making a habit of this?" Julian asked, taking the cup held out to him.
"what is that?" Barry gaped, bringing his hand up to Julian's blackened eye.
"It's nothing." Julian smacked Barry's hand away while rolling his eyes. The door opened, detective west peeking in.
"Guys, we have a body." He says, before stepping out.
"Finish the reports." Julian orders, before following detective west out. Barry made a mocking face as Julian left the room.
Barry sped through the work in the first few minutes, and was now relaxing back in his chair. His phone ringing brought him back from his daydreaming.
"yeah-"
"Barry the metas here." Joe said urgently before hanging up. Two minutes, and Barry was in his flash suit and on the scene. The building was in flames, and all but one cop car was gone.
"the meta followed the body, Julian's still in the building!" Detective west said to Barry, raising his voice over the crackling flames.
"Go after the meta; I got Julian!" He yelled back. Barry burst in the building, finding Julian under a collapsed beam on the third floor. He was coughing harshly, struggling to move the large wreckage off. In a second the flash threw it off and carried Julian outside. The flash stayed kneeled by Julian as he caught his breath.
"You saved me." Julian smiled up at him.
"So were even now?" The flash smirked, before touching the area near Julian's eye lightly. "You gotta be more careful, Jules; what happened here?" He asked, still needing to know.
"It's nothing, just a small mugging." Julian laughed, face flushed from the attention. "And flash," Julian said quietly. Slowly he leaned up, meeting the flash in a gentle kiss. "Go get the meta." Julian smiled at the dumbstruck superhero, watching with admiration. When the flash's faculties caught up with him, he nodded and sped off.
Catching the Pyromancer didn't take long; and soon Barry was speeding back to the lab. Getting dressed and shoving the suit in a duffle bag for the time being, Barry leaned back in his chair. Julian just kissed him.
"Mr Allen, I hope that distant look in your eye means you've finished the reports?" Julian grumbles as he pushes his way back into the lab. Barry tries to act shocked about Julian's scorched and sooty cloths, but Julian brushes him off in favor of checking over Barry's work. Barry can feel himself blushing for the rest of the day.
xxxx
That night the flash does his usual rounds, and finds Julian alone by the water, sitting on the edge of the pier. He has a sketchbook, and Barry can't help but wonder what he's drawing. Blurring his face and voice as usual, Barry walks up slowly as not to startle him.
"You're an artist?" The flash asks him. Julian smiles, continuing his sketch of where the city meets the horizon.
"I'm a scientist, but the two seem to go nicely together." Julian smiled. The flash sits next to him. "I won't apologize, if that's what you're here for." Julian smirks. The brief kiss replays itself in Barry's head.
"no," the flash starts. "I'm glad you're not sorry for it." The flash watches Julian draw in silence.
"Were you going to kiss me back then, or was that a one time deal?" Julian asks, still focused on his sketching. After a moment, the flash lifts Julian's chin towards him.
"Julian," the flash almost asks.
"kiss me, hero." Julian almost dares. The flash meets his lips instantly, kissing with desperation and heat. His heart is pounding in his chest, and he feels light headed. When Julian pulls away, Barry blurs his own face again. "Don't you have better places to be?" Julian asks breathlessly.
"right now? Nothing comes to mind." The flash laughed in reply, leaning in again. Julian met him halfway, running a hand over the flash's mask. Barry moaned, pulling Julian onto his lap. Julian laughed, but didn't pull away for long. Sitting on the flash's lap. Julian grinded into him lightly, enjoying the speedster's gasp.
xxx
the next morning Barry brings Julian a coffee.
"So," Barry starts as he sets the coffee on Julian's desk.
"I'm in a good mood, Allen. Don't ruin that for me." Julian sighs. Barry looks hurt, but stays quiet. "Run these tests for me." Julian almost asks, holding the folder out to him. Barry smiles, glad to help.
xxxx
another quiet night brings the flash back to the pier. He sits alone for a few minutes, until Julian walks up.
"I was hoping you'd be back." Julian smiles, holding a coffee out to him. The flash chuckles lightly.
"me too." The flash cradles the coffee with both hands, waiting for Julian to sit next to him. "So do you kiss everyone that saves you, or.." the flash trails off. Julian laughs, and the flash's heart starts fluttering.
"just the ones with a secret identity. You know, the whole 'hopeless attraction' scenario." He smiles softly into his coffee.
"is this hopeless?" The flash asks, but has to agree.
"I can only date a man in a mask so long." Julian shrugged.
"but you would want to date me?" Barry prodded.
"yes, of course." Julian smiled, setting down his drink.
"but you don't know who I am behind the mask, what if you don't like the real me?" The flash nearly stutters.
"is the flash, great hero of central city, really this insecure around me?" Julian laughed. Barry blushed, placing his hand over Julian's on the dock. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there." Julian replies, leaning into the flash's shoulder.
Xxxx
the next morning is busy, and Julian hardly acknowledges the coffee Barry brings him before he's shoving a stack of papers at him.
"Case files, go." Julian barks lightly before going back to his own work. Barry can't help but watch Julian throughout the day. Confident, brilliant, damn sexy in those suspenders. Barry laughs to himself. What would Julian think if he knew it was Barry he'd been kissing? And why was Barry feeling so jealous of the flash?
"Allen! Case files!" Julian barked. Barry snapped back to his work, feeling the blush rise up.
Xxxx
"Do you like chocolate?" The flash asked as he met Julian on the pier for the third night in a row. Julian laughed.
"of course. I prefer white chocolate, but yes, flash." He smiled as the flash sat beside him with a box of chocolates.
"I'm pretty sure there are white chocolate ones in here," the flash turned the box over, looking for some clue.
"Its a lovely thought." Julian smiled, leaning toward him. The flash wasted no time in meeting Julian's lips, kissing passionately. Chocolates set aside, Julian strattled the speedster. "Why does this feel so right?" Julian whispered against Barry's lips. The flash swallowed nervously, before flipping Julian to the ground, and positioning himself over him.
"still feel right?" He asked, nuzzling Julian's jaw and neck. Julian moaned a reply before bringing the flash's lips to his own. After a minute the flash bolted up, hand on his com.
"Barry! Hysteria escaped!" Cisco yelled over the mic.
"im on my way." The flash replied, leaning down to give Julian one more kiss.
"I gotta go-"
"run, hero."
xxxx
Barry rushed into star labs, finding Caitlin stitching a cut on Cisco's hand.
"she left with another Meta." Caitlin told him. Barry nodded and searched the area before returning.
"Don't worry, im sure they'll make themselves known soon."
xxxx
the next morning Julian doesn't show up for work. Barry runs to his apartment but gets no answer. next Barry runs to the pier, and finds the chocolates still there. In a second he's at starlabs.
"They took Julian!" Barry yells, suiting up. "Find him."
"Uh, Barry?" Cisco asks as he pulls up a video. "It's live." He mutters.
"Flash. Come alone, and maybe you can save your boy here." Hysteria's voice booms over the speakers. Barry grabs the sonic disruptor and speeds off to the broadcast center. Hysteria is still preaching to the camera, but the flash knocks her out cold as he runs in the room.
"Nice to see you here." Julian laughs weakly. The flash unites him, and without thinking kisses him.
"You think you can just hurt my girl like that?" The second meta screams, rushing at them and breaking into shards.
"It's sand, flash! Use lightning." Julian yells. Barry doesn't hesisitate. The sand hardens and shatters, slowly reforming into a person. Flash grabs the metas, and whisks them to their cells in star labs. He returns a second later to find Julian walking away from the scene. Before he leaves the room however, flash holds him close.
"I'm so sorry Julian; this is all my fault." The flash nearly begged, leaning back to look at the new scrapes across Julian's face.
"please, flash. How else am I suppose to get rescued by you?" He smiled, kissing the flash lightly. The flash picked Julian up in his arms, and whisked him to his apartment.
"I should have found you sooner." He says, head resting on Julian's shoulder.
"Flash," Julian hums. The flash meets his eyes. "Come inside with me?" Julian asks before kissing the flash deeply. Barry whines, but steps back.
"Im sorry, Jules, I have to go." Barry frowns, kissing Julian pleadingly before he whooshes off.
xxxxx
Barry stops for coffee on his way back to the ccpd labs. He sets one at Julian's desk before settling down at his own. His heart is still pounding. After maybe fifteen minutes, Julian walks through the door, looking exhausted.
"Your late." Barry tries to notice casually. Julian snorts.
"At least someone wasn't watching." Julian sits back at his desk, picking up the coffee set out for him.
"watching?" Barry asked, heart sinking. Slowly he stepped out the lab, finding police officers playing and replaying the earlier broadcast, many of them cheering when the flash leaned down to kiss Julian. Barry again felt an odd jelousy form, before he was pulled aside.
"You didn't tell me you were dating Julian!" Detective west hissed quietly. Barry sighs.
"I'm not, 'the flash' is." Barry pouts. Joe stares for a second.
"He doesn't know it's you?"
Xxxxxx
that night, Julian wasn't at the pier. The flash nervously paced around the apartment building before finally knocking on Julian's door. He shifted the box of white chocolates as he waited. Julian answers with a tired smile.
"Flash, come in." Julian holds the door open, letting the flash step past him. "I've just put some tea on, if you'd like some." Julian offers.
"Julian." The flash sighs, watching Julian walk towards the kettle. Julian looks back at him as the flash reaches for his hood. Blushing, Julian turns away.
"you don't have to do that." Julian says quietly, not facing him as the flash lets the hood fall around his neck.
"Please, Julian; I need to know if you'd still want me." Barry begs.
"flash," Julian starts quietly. "I'm dating a super hero." He laughed. "I know I care about you, I know I want you. I don't need to see the man behind the mask." Julian poured the hot water into two cups, never turning back to face him.
"I'm the same person, Jules, I want you whether I'm wearing the mask or not." THe flash argued.
"put the mask back on, flash." Julian asked quietly. After a second, the flash puts it back on.
"ok." He sighs. Julian turns back to face him, smiling sadly at the mask and blurred face.
"this morning I was on live television kissing the flash." Julian smiles, handing the flash a cup of tea. "Anyone who knows me saw it. Dating the man behind the mask as well would only endanger your identity, as well as further endanger me." Julian lead the flash to his couch. "I know you've been working yourself up to this, I watched you pacing the building from my window." Julian laughs.
"Julian," the flash sighs.
"For me, flash, please. Don't show me yet." Julian asks, bringing a hand to the flash's masked cheek.
"kiss me." The flash almost asked, setting down his tea. Julian smiled, setting his own cup down before leaning into the flash. It was an emotional, desperate kiss. The flash needing it, Julian deeply wanting to give it. Julian's hands glided over the flash's chest.
"Just be with me." Julian moaned.
Xxxxx
The next day, the flash sped through the CCPD, leaving a bouquet of carnations and baby's breath on Julian's desk. Around the bouquet, a small card with a lightning bolt drawn on was tied in ribbon.
When Barry arrived at the lab an hour later, Julian had found the flowers, and placed them in a beaker of water. Barry blushed as he set Julian's coffee on his desk.
"Sorry im late, my bike got stolen," Barry tried to say casually.
"You don't need to come up with an excuse every day, Allen." Julian sighed, not looking up from his paperwork.
"Right. Cool, I'll just, be over there, then." Barry stumbled, walking to his own desk. After an hour of Barry's mind racing, Julian finally broke the silence.
"Allen, can you handle the caseload after five tonight?" Julian asked without looking up from his work.
"What? Why?" Barry replied, still snapping out of his daydreams.
"It's perfectly fine if you aren't capable of it." Julian assures him, causing Barry's jaw to twitch.
"I can handle it. Just wondering where you have to run off to last minute." Barry explained, crossing his arms.
"if you must know, Allen, I have a date."
"You do?" Barry asked in genuine surprise. He had been hoping to see Julian tonight as the flash, but they hadn't exactly made plans.
"Very amusing, Allen, but yes, I am capable of it." Julian rolled his eyes.
"Ok, well, have fun." Barry replied shortly. He tightened his arms around himself a little more as Julian admired his bouquet.
xxxx
"So what kind of date is it?" Barry asks as Julian is getting ready to head out for the night. Julian scoffed, picking up his beaker bouquet.
"ask any cop downstairs, I'm sure they'll enjoy explaining it more than I would." Julian said shortly before walking out.
Barry sped through the work, wishing he could just run after Julian. He sighed, sitting back at his desk. When Cisco called to say there was a meta attack, Barry was actually thankful for the distraction. When taking on said meta lead to a steel rod through his gut, he was less thankful.
"Did we get him?" Barry asked as he began to wake up.
"Barry! Thank god." Caitlin said, already flashing a light in his eyes.
"I'm fine." Barry sighed, batting away her hand.
"You could have died." She replied, bringing her light back up.
"Wait, what time is it?" Barry asked, sitting up quickly.
"about ten, you've been out for over four hours."
"Four hours? I'm fine, really, but I have a date!" Barry said rushing out the room.
xx
after stopping back at his place to wash the coma off, the flash ran to Julian's place. he knocked lightly, suddenly nervous. It was later than he usually met up with Julian. When Julian answered the door in silk pajamas, the flash was suddenly much more nervous.
"Sorry I'm late-" he started, before noticing the candles lit in the background.
"I was hoping you'd stop by eventually." Julian laughed, inviting the flash in.
"What's all this?" The flash asked, looking around at the dim lighting.
"You promise not to tell me your real identity?" Julian asked, taking the flash's hand gently.
"For you, Julian, yes." The flash answered nervously. Julian lead him to the couch.
"I picked up a movie, and more comfortable cloths that I thought would fit you. And, this." Julian blushed, holding up a blindfold.
"really?" The flash chuckled, wrapping his arms around Julian.
"Seems like the best way." Julian smiled, leaning into the embrace.
"But how are you going to see the movie?" The flash laughed, leaning down to kiss Julian.
"I picked Jurassic park. I've seen it so many times I don't need to see it to know what's going on." Julian grinned shyly. He tied the blindfold over his eyes, and gestured to the clothes folded on the armrest.
"Take your time." Julian smirked.
"How do they look?" Barry asked, looking down at the flash-themed cotton pajama pants.
"very funny." Julian smiled. Barry sat next to Julian, tilting his chin up.
"kiss me?" Barry asked breathlessly.
"Of course." Julian leaned forward, closing the gap between them. When Julian placed his hand on the flash's chest, he laughed. " I'm pretty sure I had a shirt with that."
"No, I'm pretty sure the shirt was always thrown off to the side." Barry laughed, pulling Julian on his lap.
"Well that works out then." Julian ran his hand over Barry's abs, kissing him deeply. Julian's other hand scratched through Barry's hair, eliciting a deep reverberatory moan from the speedster. Julian kissed and bit down Barry's neck, and Barry vibrated beneath him. "Bloody hell," Julian breathed, scratching down Barry's back. As Julian shifted against him, Barry gasped lightly before holding Julian back. Julian waited until the speedster stopped vibrating. "Are you alright?" Julian asked softly.
"I-yes-I just; maybe think we should slow down; I mean on this right now, specifically, until, well you know, when you're not," Barry ran his fingers along the side of the blindfold. Julian sighed.
"Yes, right. Well we were going to watch the movie." Julian said, shifting off Barry's lap. Barry whined a little unintentionally, before wrapping his arm around Julian.
"We can still cuddle, right?" He asked softly. Julian laughed, leaning into the touch.
"I'm counting on it."
By the end of the movie, the two were sprawled out on the couch, legs intertwined.
"Thank you." Barry whispered, kissing the top of Julian's head.
"of course." Julian sprawled a little more over Barry before the two sat up. "Are you suiting up before you go so I can kiss you without this thing?" He asks, laughing lightly. Barry kisses Julian lightly before speeding off to suit up.
"ok." The flash said, leaning down to untie Julian's blindfold. Julian looked up at the flash with a smile.
"When can you come back?" Julian asks.
"as often as I can." The flash smiled back, kissing julian softly.
xxxxxx
Barry wore a turtleneck to work the next day. Thankfully no one says anything.
"These reports are sloppy." Nothing about the turtleneck, at least.
Xxx
After work, Barry meets up with Iris for drinks.
"So tell me why it took this long for us to talk about this?" Iris asks excitedly.
"I'm sorry, I just got caught up in everything." Barry sighs.
"My dad told me he doesn't even know who you are." Iris half asks.
"He doesn't; he still barely looks at me at work." Barry spun the umbrella through his drink. He had let Iris order for him. She insisted that since he can't get drunk he might as well enjoy the taste.
"That must be tough. But wait, how does that work, even? Do you blur yourself the whole time, or?"
"Most of the time." Barry shrugged. "Although.." he thought back to last night before shaking his head. "We've found ways around it."
"huh. How serious is it?" She asks.
"Well I definitely wish I could take him out somewhere nice." Barry frowned. "You know, without the mask." Iris nodded, thinking it through.
"Do you think he's right for not wanting to know?"
"Well he makes some good points. I don't know."
"Maybe for now, make him dinner, start small."
xxxx
The flash knocks on Julian's door, a grocery bag in each hand. Julian laughs when he opens the door.
"Can I make you dinner?" The flash asks. Julian beams, holding the door open for him. "It's nothing fancy; just an old family recipe for chicken, it's really the only thing I know how to make." Most of the work the flash could do in an instant, but until the timer went off, Julian kept him preoccupied.
"You're really something, flash." Julian laughed.
"You too, Julian Albert."
Xxxx
Barry arrives late to the crime scene the next morning, earning a disinterested scoff from Julian.
"I've got all the samples we need, Allen. Best to meet us at the lab."
xxxx
Barry leaned back in his chair, sighing lightly to himself. Julian was running all the tests himself, leaving Barry to his thoughts. it was ridiculous to be jealous of the flash. But Barry couldn't help but feel that Julian could never care about Barry Allen the way he did about the flash.
"Could you try to not stare? It's rather unnerving." Julian sighed, glancing up at Barry. Barry rolled his eyes, before opting to just close them.
Barry awoke to a pinch in his neck as Julian dropped the files on Barry's desk.
"See you tomorrow, Allen."
xxx
When the flash shows up at Julian's that night, they're kissing before the door closes behind them.
"you're so damn beautiful," Barry moans. As it gets too late, The flash sits infront of the couch, letting Julian rub the tension from his neck.
xxxxx
the next day a meta attacks CCPD. Barry and Julian take cover behind Julian's desk as the windows blow in.
"I'll go get help, wait here." Barry yells over the metas roar.
"Barry!" Julian calls, pulling Barry into a kiss. "Run, hero." When Barry's mind caught up with him, he sped away.
xxxxx
the flash nervously knocked on Julian's door, not sure how this shift would affect them.
"Flash," Julian smiled, gesturing him in.
"Julian," Barry sighs, not bothering to reverberate his voice.
"You're not as subtle as you think you are, Allen." Julian replied, rolling his eyes.
"Then why didn't you say anything?" Barry asked, walking over to the couch.
"Well it is safer. Besides, I didn't want you to start trying to distract me at work any more than you usually do."
"I don't distract you at work." Barry frowned.
"Allen, you look like that and smell like that and if I don't say something you just stand so bloody close to me." Julian huffed. Barry laughed, pulling the hood down.
"How long have you known?" Barry asks softly.
"I've had my suspicions for a while. I think my subconscious worked it out before I did." Julian ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know if you realized, but I was quite rattled from the smoke inhalation during our first kiss. Although I was beginning to doubt it there for a minute; I swear you looked almost jealous." Julian smirked, rubbing his thumb along the back of Barry's hand.
"I was. As the flash I got to kiss you, but as myself.." Barry trailed off, looking away.
"You can kiss me now." Julian reminded him. Barry laughed, leaning in to meet his kiss. They kissed gently, tenderly, before Julian leaned back, arms still over Barry's shoulders. "Just not at work, ok?" Barry laughed, kissing Julian softly.
"Deal."