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You Belong With Me

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Summary:

Caitlin has always felt a connection, the spark of something more, with her lab partner Barry. But he has a longtime on/off girlfriend. What will it take to make him see he belongs with her? Oneshot for SimplySnowbarry's Snowbarry Week 18. Theme: Scene Stealer.

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AN:

So kind of an extension of a scene as this is technically a re-write of a music video but meh. I always think of Snowbarry with this song and when the prompt Scene Stealer came up I had to write this.

(I am working on fics for the other days but the PI and mythology ones have totally run away from me and have lives of their own now. I missed the date days for them but they will be posted sometime soon, when they are done playing havoc on my brain. Also Advent Exploits is my priority right now timewise {check it out if you like snowberry and Christmas!} so that is going to be posted first no matter what).

Fans of Iris please note she will be written slightly OOC here. I'm not a big fan of Iris but I don't dislike her (there are some scenes with her that are great but most of the time I find her interactions awkward, which could be seen as lack of material from the writers development wise, as I've seen other stuff with Candice Patton in and thought she did a good enough job). And it's not anybody's fault that I think the chemistry between Barry and Caitlin is more 'cos, hey that's my opinion. I'm always willing to discuss opinions and constructive criticisms in a positive way, but if anyone is rude or insulting your reviews/PMs will be deleted/reported (I hate having to write that but unfortunately there are people out there who will just insult you for something that you like and believe in, even if it's as innocent as which couple you like more on a tv show!).

Ridiculously long AN over. Hope you like and please review!

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DISCLAIMER:

There are lyrics used in this fic that are the property of Taylor Swift (and her music/management company/ies). They are used for creative purposes only, no monetary gain is obtained from them.

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The morning starts as it usually does, with me setting up the equipment for the first period lab and him running late. Considering he's the star of the track team, being the fastest boy in our school, it's pretty ironic. But somehow he gets away with it. He gets away with a lot of things like that; like when he says a really bad joke and then smiles so winningly at you that you just can't help but laugh.

Today he arrives just as the teacher is taking roll call and, unfortunately, as has been the pattern over the last few days, he's whispering furiously into his phone.

"It was a joke Iris," he says quietly as he hurriedly slips into his seat on the bench next to me. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

I can't hear the reply but I know immediately they've had this argument before at least a dozen times. You'd think by now she'd understand a bit more about his humour.

But she never seems to get it like I do.

"Okay, I'll explain it again later, I'm sorry," he says, ducking over to one side so the teacher can't see the phone pressed into his hand. "Yeah, you too. I'll see you at lunch. I know, you said that already. Listen I've got to go. No Iris, as in my lesson is about to start. I'll talk to you about it at lunchtime. Bye."

He sighs as he hangs up and then sits up straight as his name is called. Once he's affirmed his presence to the teacher he slumps back down in his seat with a tired exhale. And it's only first period.

I wait a minute, then can't help my curiosity. "What was it this time?"

"I compared a spirit stick to a spirit level," he replies.

"What's the comparison between a cheerleader's baton and a builder's level device?" I ask.

Barry's face brightens immediately. "I love that you get that straight away," he says.

My heart stutters at hearing him say the word 'love' – which is stupid and infantile – and I quickly turn my attention onto the test I've been setting up that we would probably do today.

"I believe I asked you what the comparison is," I reply crisply whilst moving equipment around. "Implying that I don't actually get it."

Barry rolls his eyes. "Okay miss pedantic. I meant that you get what I was saying, not necessarily the joke."

"Oh I'm sorry, was there a joke in there somewhere?"

Barry snorts and shakes his head at me. But he's smiling and looking a lot more like himself than he was a minute ago and that's all that matters to me.

The teacher calls my name and I answer. With roll call done he quickly sets out the lesson objective and shows us the plan for the experiment up on the main board. As soon as that was done we were free to conduct the experiment ourselves.

"I just don't get it sometimes," Barry said. "I mean she laughs at my jokes when it's just the two of us but when anyone else is around she acts dumb. So does she not get the joke when it's just us and is faking it? Or does she choose not to laugh at them when she's in front of her friends?"

"I don't know Barry," I answered, the same thing I've been saying for days now. "Maybe just talk to her about it?"

"I tried. But she distracted me."

I did not want to think what kind of distraction technique she used.

"Never mind me," Barry continued with a small. "Let's show this test who's boss."

I always envied Barry's sunny optimistic personality. Nothing got him down for long before he found a way of making himself perk back up. I use to envy that part of him but the last few months have stirred different feelings in me.

Barry Allen has been my lab partner in chemistry and biology for the last three years. He's a friend who is nerdy and funny and kind, who is always there for his friends and can be counted on to say the right thing in the moment. He's also very tall with a lanky frame, perfect for the running he did so much. His green eyes always showed what he was feeling and his face was so expressive it was like a feelings barometer all by itself.

All of these things were objective to me a hundred or so days ago. Now they're subjective as I find myself feeling things for him. Things I will never be able to act on. One, he's my friend and I wouldn't want to risk that, and two, he's clearly head over heels for Iris West.

But sometimes, like just a few minutes ago, I want to yell at her for not seeing the great guy, who was great just as he was, in front of her. I wanted to tell her she didn't deserve him if she was trying to change him.

Mostly I wanted to tell her that he belonged with me.

"Are you going to the dance on Friday?" Barry asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Cisco wants to go so I'll probably tag along with him."

"Cool. Iris wants to match my suit with her dress. I don't know how a plain black tux wouldn't go with a dress but, whatever, she's in charge."

"She's lucky you're even wearing a suit."

"Hey! I scrub up pretty good."

"That wasn't my point."

"You think I'd go naked to the dance?"

I had to quickly tamp down my mind of any attempts of visualising those words.

"More likely that you'd wear a t-shirt and jeans if left to your own devices." I managed to choke out past a suddenly dry throat.

Once after a track team meet I'd gone to meet Barry to do some research work, only it had been a very hot day and his teammates were being particularly rambunctious. So when he said he needed to cool down they had thrown an entire ice bucket over him. Which meant when he met me straight after he was shirtless and wet.

That wasn't the time my silly crush started, but it was definitely the cause of the more physical side of my feelings for him.

"Even I know you have to dress up for a school dance," Barry replied.

I rolled my eyes at him, aiming for playful but probably coming off as bored or constipated, and focused my attention onto the experiment. Barry followed suit and for the next hour the only things were talked about were the experiment.

As first bell rang to signal close of lessons, we started packing up our things.

"I'm glad you're going next week," Barry suddenly said.

"Huh?" I replied eloquently as we left the lab room, not expecting anything other than more talk about our work.

"To the dance. I'm glad you're going. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun without you there."

I smiled shyly at his words; I wasn't great at social gatherings and to think he'd like me to be there was amazing. "Really?"

"Really," Barry said, stopping to stare down at me with a soft smile on his face and a gentle look in his eyes. "Cait-"

"There you are!" A loud voice echoed down the corridor and I instantly took a step back as Iris swept between us and flung her arms around Barry's neck. "Hi babe."

"Hey Iris."

I discreetly made my escape as I knew what was about to happen and did not want to be around to witness it. Sure enough as I headed down the corridor, I heard the evidence of the thing I did not want to see.

"Jeez you two, get a room!" A loud voice drifted down the corridor.

Guess she wasn't as mad as she made out an hour ago if they were already making up.

After school the next day I sat on the bleachers and watched some of the track team warm up. It was a nice enough day to be outside anyway but being able to watch Barry was an added bonus. I held my English Lit books in my hands, skimming over the material as I waited for the rest of the team – Barry included – to arrive and then the races to actually begin.

It had become a habit of mine last year to go and watch all the meets. Barry and I had finally started talking about things other than the work we were actually doing and it turned out we had a lot in common. A friendship had developed then and we were no longer merely lab partners.

But there was a part of me that wanted more.

I looked up from my spot on the bleachers and watched as the rest of the runners came out. They were accompanied by some of the cheer squad and of course I should have known, Iris was the one leading them out. The cheerleaders didn't usually come to small sports gatherings like this one but it could be used as good practice time I guess.

So here I was, up in the bleachers, whilst there she was, down at the front with all the other cheer leaders. She was wearing the short skirt of the cheer leaders' uniform and I was dressed in an over-sized t-shirt.

The races began and I watched all the ones Barry participated in. He won the first two easily and after that began messing around, slowing down as if the others had a chance of beating him and then speeding back up. It was nice to see him being so relaxed and carefree.

It quickly became apparent that whilst I, and several others in the crowded bleachers, thought it was gunny and cool that he was joking around there was someone who did not. Iris was angrily shouting, gesturing her hands at him madly. But after two more races Iris turned her attention elsewhere. Some of the football players were doing laps themselves, though obviously without the speed and timings the track team were working towards. Iris started chatting with some of them and even from my distance, it became apparent very quickly that she was flirting with one of them.

Barry also noticed and after his next race went over to talk to Iris. There was lots of hand waving and pointing on her side over the next few minutes and the more she spoke the more stoic Barry became, never a good sign. After a few minutes Barry shook his head and walked away. Iris turned back to the football player and continued talking to him.

I immediately fished my phone out of my bag and quickly typed a text. Are you ok?

Fine, comes his fast response.

I know you're not, I type back.

Just tired of drama, he answers, but I think I'm rid of it now.

Anything I can do?

No, thanks. See you tomorrow.

But I didn't see Barry the next day or the day after that. He wasn't in lessons and he wasn't answering her calls. Though to be fair to him, she'd only made two as she didn't want to bombard him. Texts though, she'd sent plenty of them.

Barry still didn't show for Friday lessons and I just hoped he was alright.

Friday night came and before I knew it I was standing in the corridor leading to the gymnasium, gently pulling at the edges of my white dress. It was a different look for me, something new I'd decided to try and I hoped it was okay.

"You look great you know," Cisco said as he stood beside me.

"You too," I smiled back at my friend, my nerves making the smile wobble.

"Ready for this?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Sure."

We headed down the corridor and into the school gym which had been decorated lavishly and had a DJ set up at the far end. Cisco immediately headed towards the refreshments table and I slowly wondered around, trying to take it all in.

I stopped at the edge of the makeshift dancefloor and tingles of awareness shot down my spine. Slowly I turned around to see Barry standing ten feet opposite me, his intense gaze locked on me. I took a deep breath at the look in his eyes, a look that sent all the feelings I had for him crashing to the surface.

He took a step towards me but then Iris was suddenly at his side, hooking her arm trough his whilst her other hand ran up and down over his chest. Her red dress looked deeper next tot eh stark white of his shirt as she curled her body around him. But Barry wasn't looking at her; he was still looking at me.

I saw him disentangle himself from Iris and then he was walking towards me, his steps hurried but steady.

"Cait," he breathed when he stopped in front of me. "You look incredible."

"You look pretty good yourself," I answer.

We both just stand there, smiling softly at each other, an awareness of something surrounding us.

Slowly Barry reaches out a hand and touches mine.

"I couldn't see," he says quietly, so quietly it's only meant for the air between his lips and my ears. "I couldn't see you even though you were right there, all along."

"I'm still here," I answer.

"You always understand me," he continues and then a smile tugs at his lips. "Do you understand where I'm going with this now?"

I bit my lip against my own smile as I read the thought in his eyes. "You belong with me," I whisper.

Barry grins at me and then leans down and brushed his lips over mine, softly at first then with more pressure as he pulls me close to him.

"You belong with me," he repeats, his lips brushing against mine.

And I know we understand each other perfectly. In that moment and forever.

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