Chapter Text
Barry pulled the blankets and pillow over his head in an effort to drown out the sound of his alarm. He'd had quite the eventful night testing his new speed abilities, but the efforts had drained his energy. He spent at least an hour racing around the city, testing his ability to maneuver at high speeds – dodging obstacles on the highway, making sharp turns without slowing, even testing his velocity on different terrain. In the two weeks since he'd woken from his coma, he saw little of Central City other than his house, the hospital, and his school. Now, in just a few minutes, he had toured most of the city and seen nearly every tourist attraction it had to offer.
However, even after a full night of testing, he still had no idea how fast he was actually moving. His best calculations had him moving at a speed of at least 200 mph. He needed to find equipment that could keep up with him and give him more accurate results. He couldn't improve if he didn't know where he stood. With practice, he was positive that he could even manage to break the sound barrier.
During his tour of the city, he'd found an abandoned air field with a landing strip in decent shape that would make the perfect testing zone. It was far enough from the prying eyes of pedestrians and passing traffic that he could practice in relative isolation. The problem again was finding ways of measuring his speed.
Barry's stomach growled. He could suddenly smell the scents of coffee and bacon creeping into his bedroom. Food definitely won out over sleep. He zipped out from beneath his blankets and quickly made his bed and picked-up his dirty laundry before heading into the kitchen.
“Morning, kiddo,” Henry said when he saw Barry enter the kitchen. “You seem more awake than usual this morning.”
“I'm just hungrier than normal, I guess. I could smell the bacon from my room.”
“Uh, huh...” his dad said with a grin. “This extra energy wouldn't have anything to do with this guy you're seeing tonight would it?”
Barry blushed. He almost forgot that he and Miguel were going out tonight. They had been texting most the night trying to decide on a plan when they settled on the classic “dinner and a movie” date. There was a new sci-fi movie Barry had wanted to see and he was surprised that it was something Miguel was interested in seeing, too.
“So what's the plan again?” Henry asked, loading Barry's plate with scrambled eggs and bacon. “I'm picking you up after school and bringing you home to shower and change, right?”
“Yeah, and then I need to meet Miguel at quarter to six at the Millennium Plaza Theater. There's a bunch of restaurants nearby, so I'm not sure where we're eating, yet, but the movie starts at eight.”
“And don't forget...”
“I know, home before midnight,” Barry said interrupting him.
“Well, you're going to have a beautiful night for your date,” his dad added. “The weather station says there's a warm front moving in for the weekend. Oh, and speaking of a nice weekend, I thought about grilling some chicken for lunch tomorrow for you and your lab buddy, Leonard.”
“Len, dad. I don't think he likes being called Leonard – much like I don't like being called Bartholomew.”
“Well, Bartholomew,” his dad said jokingly. “I hope you cleaned-up your room last night night like I told you or Len is going to think a tornado blew through.”
“It's all taken care of, dad,” he said with a smile. Barry wolfed down his plate of food and even had seconds before rushing off to get his shower.
The entire ride to school, Barry nervously tapped his foot reminding himself several times to relax so that it didn't vibrate at super-speed. In between texting Miguel last night, he had sent a message to Iris telling her about the his date. Knowing how shy he was normally, she was thrilled that he had found someone so quickly. Of course, she seemed a bit distracted as she was planning for her own date with Eddie Thawne – which Barry still couldn't believe.
He wished Iris was here now, she would know exactly what to say to calm his nerves. He really needed someone to talk to about it. For now, Donny was the only person at school – other than Miguel, obviously – that knew about the date and he was hoping it would stay that way, at least until this first one was out of the way. He trusted Donny not to say anything. The two of them had become friends rather quickly and, while he could never take the place of Iris, he missed her and his other friends less when Donny was around.
Once his first class started, Barry managed to regain a bit of his focus. Mrs. Russo – the short, round French teacher – had the class break into pairs to translate blocks of text. Naturally, he and Donny teamed-up to tackle the assignment and, as he hoped, he didn't mention anything about the date with Miguel.
After class, they parted ways and Barry walked to chemistry with Natasha and Mal. The chapter test had been a piece of cake and, even if he hadn't reviewed the chapter, Barry was sure he would've still aced it. Mr. Mendez gave the class the option of spending the last few minutes working on their reading assignment for the weekend or brainstorming ideas with their project partners. Barry glanced over at Len who was engrossed in his paperback again and seemed to have no interest in “brainstorming” today, so he pulled out his chemistry book and jumped into the reading assignment.
The day continued smoothly until lunch when Barry saw Miguel for the first time today. He was wearing a tight, white tanktop with an unbuttoned navy and cyan plaid shirt over it. The moment he saw Barry, he winked and smiled. Barry blushed and he heard Donny chuckle in the seat next to him.
“What's so funny?” Sue asked taking the seat next to him.
“Oh, nothing,” Donny said still laughing. “Just Barry being Barry.”
“How's your day going, Sue?” Barry asked, desperate to change the subject.
“Ugh, Johnathan rejected my new article so Mr. Kline assigned me to write about the groundbreaking for that new lab on Sunday,” she said with a frown.
“You're going to the S.T.A.R. Labs groundbreaking ceremony? I wanted to go, but my dad has to work,” Barry said.
“Well you're more than welcome to tag along if you want. Maybe if you're there I won't be bored outta my mind.”
“I hesitate to ask, but what story did Carroll reject?” Donny asked. “Not another Mystery Men piece, I hope.”
“No, but just as awesome and unbelievable,” she said, excited to talk about it. “Apparently there was this weird weather phenomena occurring throughout the city last night. I found seven reports that people saw streaks of lighting on the highway. And I don't mean in the sky, like ground-level and zigzagging between cars.”
Barry nearly choked on his orange juice. “That's, uh, not physically possible,” he stammered out.
“I know! I don't think it was lightning per se, but maybe something traveling really, really fast. Some new vehicle that Mercury Labs is testing for the military or something, maybe.”
“That almost makes sense,” Nat said. “Something moving at a high-enough velocity could build-up static electricity from the friction and leave a 'lightning trail' behind it.”
“Yeah, but it would have to be something small to have the maneuverability Sue's talking about,” Mal added. “Like a motorcycle or something smaller.”
“But it would be impossible to track something moving that fast, right?” Barry asked.
“Difficult, but not impossible,” Natasha said. “You could use LIDAR to gauge it's speed. Once you know how fast it's moving you could calculate it's trajectory. Something moving that fast won't be easy to maneuver.”
Sue was furiously scribbling notes as they talked. “Pretend for a moment that some of us aren't science nerds and explain to me what this “lidar” thing is?”
Nat rolled her eyes and laughed. “It's like radar but instead of using sound to track an object's speed, it uses a laser. Since light travels faster than sound, you can get a more accurate measurement.”
“Police have switched over to it to nab speeders,” Mal said.
“As my lead-footed boyfriend can attest,” Natasha said, patting Mal's hand.
Barry pretended not to worry, but he would have to be much more careful in the future. He assumed that at the speed he was moving, no one could see him – he didn't realize he'd been leaving a “lightning trail” in his wake. And if a bunch of science geeks postulating around a cafeteria table could come up with ways of tracking him, then surely the military or someone else could do the same.
Barry was nervous the rest of day, something that didn't go unnoticed by Donny. He hadn't said anything the last two classes, but when they got to the locker rooms, he couldn't help but ask if Barry was alright.
“Nervous about the date tonight?” Donny whispered.
“What? Uh, yeah... the date,” Barry replied. Again, he nearly forgot about his night out with Miguel because of his burgeoning powers. “It's my first date with a guy. Actually, my first date ever.”
“Miguel's a great guy. Just be yourself, he already likes you so you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not.”
Barry smiled. “My friend Iris said the same thing. You know, you remind me a lot of her.”
Out in the gym, Coach Holt had them get into their groups and continue on their cycle through the gymnastics areas. Miguel was rather subdued today, not nearly as chatty as he normally was during class and Barry couldn't help but wonder if he was nervous about their plans this evening, too. It gave him a bit of satisfaction knowing that even attractive, popular guys like Miguel still got butterflies on first dates.
The whistle to change stations had sounded all too quickly meaning that class was halfway through. Barry and the others switched to the ring station where, as usual, Donny demonstrated some superb skills. Just reaching the rings was tough enough for Barry, let alone trying to do any sort of tricks while maintaining his grip. He dropped to the floor with a thud and rubbed his wrists. Miguel went next but had similar issues and was quickly defeated.
The trio then encouraged Winslow – who had shown up for class today – to at least make an attempt so Mr. Holt wouldn't fail him. He rolled his eyes but finally gave in to them. Winslow jumped and grabbed the rings, hanging and gently swaying but not making any further effort. After about twenty seconds, his face began to redden and Barry could see the strain on his face. He was looking at the ground, but seemed almost too afraid to drop down to the mat. Instead his hand slipped and he swung wildly before the other let go and he landed with a with a loud thunk and groan.
Donny, who was standing closest, was instantly on the floor where Winslow was grabbing his ankle and sobbing. Coach Holt appeared suddenly and was kneeling beside them assessing the situation. He sent Donny to get the nurse and had Barry and Miguel help Winslow limp to his office in the locker room. They stayed with him for a few minutes while Mr. Holt dismissed the class. They stayed until the nurse arrived and made her diagnosis – a twisted ankle that should be better in a few days – before they left to get changed.
The locker room was quiet and empty as the rest of the class had rushed away to start their weekend. Miguel didn't even stay to change, he grabbed his bag from his locker and left with a quick wave. Barry had just pulled on his pants and was grabbing his t-shirt when he saw someone coming around the corner into his row of lockers.
Just feet away from him was a wet, half-naked Len – a blue towel wrapped around his waist – obviously fresh from the shower. His chest was broad and smooth and he had a well-defined six pack that was still dusted with droplets of water. Barry blushed and quickly looked away, pulling on his shirt as fast as he could manage.
Donny, who seemed nonplussed by the situation simply said: “Hi, Len.”
Len nodded in response and sat on the bench to dig through his gym bag. Without looking at either of them, he said: “I thought everyone had already left.”
“Winslow fell off the rings in class and we were with him in Coach's office. The nurse said it's just a sprained ankle, nothing serious,” Donny said.
Barry slipped on his sneaker and followed Donny out the door, breathing a sigh of relief to be away from the naked Len. They had only taken a few steps when Donny stopped. “Are you so excited for your date that you're leaving your bag?” he asked.
He'd actually been in a rush to leave to get away from Len before the boy saw him drooling over his amazing body. “I guess so,” he said as he turned to head back into the locker room. “Have a nice weekend.”
Barry pushed open the door to the locker room and held his breath. Maybe he could use his super-speed to zip in and out before Len had a chance to see him. Too risky, especially after the lunch discussion earlier. He entered the room and quickly made his way to his locker. Len was fully dressed and was trying his shoes when he looked up and saw Barry. He quickly fiddled with the lock and grabbed his bag.
In his peripheral vision, he could see the muscular form of Len wrapped in the tight red and white spandex singlet. Somehow it was almost worse than seeing him in the towel. Barry was certain that his face was red as a fire engine. He slammed his locker and started to walk away as fast as he could.
“See you tomorrow, Allen,” Len called out.
“Yeah, tomorrow...” he muttered without turning around.
Barry practically ran to his dad's car which was one of the last parked at the pick-up spot. “You're pretty late today, I was getting worried. Everything okay?” Henry asked.
“Uh, yeah. This kid fell off the rings in gym class and we had to take him to see the nurse. And I was in such a rush to leave, I forgot my bag and had to go back for it.” Barry blurted it all out so quickly that he wasn't sure his dad would even understand him.
“Is the kid alright? Nothing broken?” he asked.
“He's fine, just twisted his ankle when he landed.”
Barry stared out the window the entire ride home, trying to keep images of Len out of his head. His big date with Miguel was in just a few hours and he had to prepare. The minute he was through the front door, he ran to his bedroom and tossed his bag on the bed. He stood there for a few minutes trying to decide what to do first.
His stomach gurgled. Maybe a quick snack first. He grabbed a large glass and filled it with orange juice then snagged two granola bars from the cupboard and returned to his room where he rapidly devoured it all. His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Miguel.
Miguel: Sorry I rushed out after classmates
Are we still on for tonight???
Barry: Definitely
I'm getting ready to shower now
Miguel: ;)
See you soon!
Ugh, why did he have to mention getting a shower? Barry zipped out of his clothes and into the bathroom. He started the shower and quickly the small space filled with steam. He jumped under the hot spray and grabbed his lufa, squirting a generous dollop of body wash onto it. As the orange gel squirted out, he caught a whiff of it's citrus scent. Of course, what really made it “Energizing” was the added caffeine which made his skin tingle.
The hot water, the tingle of the suds, and the returning memory of Len half-naked and in his singlet caused Barry to feel a surge in his lower regions. He shouldn't even be thinking of Len right now, he should be thinking about Miguel. But thinking of a naked or spandex-clad Miguel would definitely not solve his “growing problem.” Barry reached for the shower handle and turned it from hot to ice cold – the blast of frigid water bringing him back to reality.
He dried off quickly and brushed his teeth then ran into his room. He spent the next hour speedily changing into different combinations of outfits until his entire closet was scattered on his bedroom floor. Ultimately, he settled on a white button-down shirt with a burgundy sweater vest and tan chinos. He surveyed the room and the mess for a moment then sped around at top speed re-hanging everything in his closet. He added a few spritzes of cologne, grabbed his phone, and headed out.
Traffic was horrible and Barry tapped his foot as he watched the minutes tick by while they sat at a red light. In two minutes, it would be quarter to six and he would be officially late for his first date. Barry sighed and his dad reassured him that it would be fine if he were a few minutes late. Barry pulled out his phone and selected Miguel's name from the list.
Barry: Stuck in traffic, almost there
Sorry
Miguel: It's ok, so am I
About 5 minutes away
Barry: Same
He felt a bit better knowing that Miguel had also underestimated the Friday night traffic and wasn't sitting outside the theater waiting. A few minutes later, Henry pulled the car up to sidewalk and Barry saw Miguel walking over from the parking lot. As expected, he was wearing a purple v-neck tee that hugged his body and a rugged denim jean that looked equally fitted.
“Is that him? Henry asked.
“That's Miguel,” he answered. “What do you think?”
“I think he needs a bigger size in that shirt,” his dad said with a laugh. “But he looks like a nice guy.”
Barry rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the ride, dad. I'll see you when I get home.”
“Before midnight,” he added.
“Before midnight, dad, I know.”
Miguel waved when he saw Barry getting out of the car and ran over. “Hola, Barry,” he said with that huge, gorgeous grin. He leaned down and waved into the car. “Hi, Mr. Allen. I'm Miguel, it's nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Miguel. You guys have fun tonight.”
Barry closed the car door and waved as his dad drove off. He was alone with Miguel at last and suddenly felt very aware of that fact. “So... you look great,” Barry said, trying to make small talk.
“Gracias. You, too. Hungry?”
“Starved,” Barry said honestly.
“Me, too. So, where do you want to eat? There's a Pizza Castle or the Firehouse Grill. Oh, and the Flying Tiger Wok if you like Chinese.”
“We had Chinese yesterday, but pizza or burgers are always good,” Barry said.
“Well, there's a Big Belly Burger around the corner, but I know some kids from school work there so I thought we might want to avoid it. How about the Firehouse Grill? They have an awesome burger menu and endless fries.”
“Sounds good,” Barry said, he stomach giving a small growl at the thought of food.
The restaurant was on the second floor of the plaza, so they grabbed an escalator. Miguel stood closely behind Barry, the other boy's strong forearm resting against his lower back as it gripped the handrail. At the top, they headed to the right where they saw the red brick facade with black, iron letters that read “The Firehouse Grill.” As they entered, Barry could smell the char-grilled burgers and fought to keep his stomach from roaring with hunger again.
It was still relatively early, but being the weekend the restaurant was already packed. There was a short queue waiting to be seated so they got in line. After a brief wait, the hostess – a young, dark haired girl with a “My Name is Patty” badge on her blouse – took their names and handed them a vibrating token that would alert them when their table was ready.
Barry and Miguel left the crowded waiting area and leaned against the brick front of the restaurant to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. “We could always try another place if you don't want to wait,” Miguel said as they watched even more people join the queue.
“No, it's fine. Every restaurant in the Plaza is going to be packed, it's a Friday night. Besides, the hostess said it wouldn't be too long of a wait.” As if on cue, the token started to vibrate and flash in Miguel's hand. “See that wasn't so bad.”
Back inside, they handed Patty their token and followed her to a small two-person table near a small, low stage. “Boomer will be your server tonight,” she said with a smile. “Enjoy your evening, gentlemen.”
“'Boomer'?” Barry said, and he and Miguel chuckled at the name.
Barry looked over the menu. Everything on it sounded so good – and glancing at the surrounding tables, it all looked delicious, too. Miguel was right, they did have an extensive burger menu, at least two entire columns of it were dedicated to them.
“Hey, guys, I'm Boomer. Can I get you something to drink while you make your decisions?” Barry looked up at their server. He was tall and lean but well-muscled with messy, red hair that made him look like he just rolled out of bed. The badge on his red polo said “Owen,” making Barry think that Boomer was a nickname.
They ordered their drinks – a cherry coke for Barry and a strawberry lemonade for Miguel – then turned their attentions back to the menu. Less than a minute later, the server was back with their drinks ready to take their orders.
“Have you guys made up your mind or do you need more time?” Boomer-Owen asked.
Barry glanced at Miguel who nodded he was ready. “I'll have the double bacon burger, no onions, please,” he said, his mouth already watering.
“Do you want bottomless fries for two bucks more?” Boomer asked.
“Uh, sure, why not,” Barry answered. He glanced up at Miguel who had a huge grin after hearing his order.
“And for you, handsome?” the server asked, turning to Miguel.
Was the waiter flirting with Barry's date? Right in front of him? Even if he was, Miguel seemed to either not notice or care that Boomer had called him “handsome.”
“I'll have the turkey avocado burger and 'yes' to the bottomless fries question,” Miguel said.
“Great choice, man,” Boomer said, jotting down the order on his pad. “Hey, just to let you guys know, it's Karaoke Night. If you're interested in performing, there's a free app you can download to select your song. Your phone will even buzz when it's your turn on stage.”
“Thanks,” Miguel said as the man walked away to place their order. He then turned to Barry, that huge smile still present. “What do you think? Up for some karaoke?”
Barry hadn't even answered and Miguel already had his phone out to pull-up the app. Sure, Barry could kinda sing. Iris had tricked him into joining the show choir at his old school – of course, she quit when she realized she couldn't carry a tune – but he had enjoyed it. However, he quit after the first season when his mom died and he became focused on other things.
“Haha, this one is perfect,” Miguel said with a laugh. “Here, do you wanna pick one out?” he asked handing Barry his phone.
“Uh, I don't think I'm up for it tonight,” Barry said.
“We could always do a duet if that would be easier.”
“Hmm, I haven't even heard you sing, yet. You could really suck,” Barry teased. They both laughed only stopping when Boomer dropped two baskets of fries on their table.
“Here are your fries, guys. Whenever we see it empty, we'll bring you a new one, okay? Your burgers should be out in just a few minutes,” he said. “Anything I can get you?”
They both shook their head 'no' and immediately reached for their fries. Barry had to hold back a moan as his teeth sunk into the hot, crunchy potato. He was hungry in part from his new, higher metabolism but mostly because he was still a bit nervous and wanted a distraction.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed a bit and spotlights hit the stage beside them. A voice came over the speakers announcing that Karaoke Night had officially begun. The restaurant clapped and cheered. A skinny, blonde in heels that they announced as “Tammy” staggered onto the stage obviously having had a few drinks with her meal. The music started and Barry recognized it as Britney Spears's “Toxic.” The song was oddly fitting as the girl's off-key voice was toxic. A table of equally skinny, blonde – and probably also drunk – girls in the back of the restaurant clapped and screamed at their friend's performance.
The song finally ended to both cheers and boos of the crowd just as Miguel's phone buzzed on the table. Barry looked at it. Surely, Miguel had been joking about singing, right?
Then the announcer spoke up. “Alright, next up is Miguel.”
“Looks like it's my turn,” he said to Barry with a wink and smile. He strode the few step to the stage and leaped onto it grabbing the mike.
At the sound of the trumpet and piano intro, Barry blushed instantly realizing what Miguel had chosen to sing. “Oh, god,” Barry said under his breath. “Tell me he didn't...”
“When I need motivation
My one solution is my king
'Cause he stays strong
yeah yeah”
Miguel was on stage singing OMI's “Cheerleader” – changing the pronouns as he went – looking directly at Barry as he smiled and swayed his body with the beat.
“You're boyfriend is hot,” Barry heard from beside him. It was Boomer holding a tray with their burgers.
“Uh, thanks, but we're not boyfriends,” Barry said, turning his attention back to the stage. “It's our first date.”
“Oh, I think that I've found myself a cheerleader
He is always right there when I need him.
Oh, I think that I've found myself a cheerleader
He is always right there when I need him.”
“I think he's a keeper,” Boomer said just before he walked away.
The music slowly faded out and the restaurant cheered. Miguel bowed and jumped off the stage practically running back to the table. “Wow, that was great, Miguel – embarrassing, but great,” Barry said.
“Thanks, but I'm starved! Performing really works up an appetite,” he responded.
They devoured their burgers and several baskets of fries as they watched the other singers. Miguel's performance must have triggered the competitive nature in a few other guys. Soon there was a long line of men trying to score points with their dates by serenading them with songs, too.
It was half-past seven when they asked Boomer for the bill. Miguel insisted on paying and left a huge tip, as well. As they walked off the escalator from the second floor, Miguel linked his arm through Barry's. He blushed deeply and Miguel laughed.
“You blush more than anyone I've ever met,” Miguel said. This, of course, made Barry blush an even deeper shade of red. “Es muy atractiva,” he added.
Barry didn't speak much Spanish, but he could guess what that meant. “Thanks,” he said. “How about I pay for the movie and snacks since you paid for dinner?” he asked, trying to change the subject.
It was only a short walk across the plaza to the theater and soon the pair were walking through the automatic doors into the outer lobby. All six of the ticket windows were open, but there was still quite a long line of people ahead of them. As they waited their turn, Miguel kept his arm linked with Barry's. There was still a good twenty minutes until their showtime, but Barry always liked to get a good seat before the crowds arrived.
When it was his turn to buy tickets, Miguel finally released his arm so that Barry could pay. They entered the inner lobby and he asked if Miguel wanted anything to eat or drink. “You're stomach is a black hole, Barry Allen,” he said with a laugh. “Get whatever you like, I'm going to run to the restroom. I'll meet you back here in just a minute.”
As Barry waited alone in the concession line, he decided to check his phone. There were several text messages from Iris.
Iris: how's your date?
The waitress spilled our drinks on me
Eddie gave me his shirt to cover mine
What followed was a picture of Iris in an over-sized plaid shirt with a blonde boy Barry barely recognized as Eddie Thawne. He was wearing a plain, white t-shirt and had his arm around Iris's shoulder as they squeezed together for the photo. Barry knew instantly that Iris was smitten. She loved a chivalrous, prince charming guy and Eddie was clearly that. He literally gave up the shirt off his back to save their date.
Barry pocketed his phone and stepped up to the counter to place his order. He decided on the medium popcorn and soda combo. The bored-looking girl behind the counter handed him his change and turned around to get his order. He jerked when he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
“Whoa, jumpy,” Miguel laughed. “I didn't mean to scare you.”
“Sorry, I didn't think you'd be back so quick,” Barry said.
The girl dropped Barry's order on the counter and they headed to their theater to find seats. It was filling quickly, but they managed to find a spot in the third row from the top – Barry's preferred viewing spot for movies. While they waited for the film to start, Barry told Miguel about Iris's text and showed him the photo she sent.
“We can top that one,” Miguel said throwing his arm around Barry's shoulder and pulling him close. Their faces brushed and Barry could feel the warmth of Miguel's skin against his own. He was sure his face was bright red as Miguel took their picture with his phone.
“Excellante,” he said. After a few seconds of tapping rapidly with his finger, Barry felt his phone buzz in his pocket. “I sent you a copy.”
Barry pulled out his phone and saw the text from Miguel with their photo. Obviously, Miguel was sporting his wide, ultra-white smile but Barry was surprised to see that he had a huge grin, as well. Even better, his face wasn't flushed red from blushing. He saved the picture to his album and then sent it to Iris along with a message reading: “The date is going great.”
They chatted a bit more until the lights dimmed and the trailers began to roll. Just after the movie itself began, Barry felt Miguel's hand settle atop his on the armrest, knitting his fingers in between Barry's. When Barry turned to look at him, Miguel was staring at the screen but with a wide smile plastered across his face. Their hands remained like that for the remainder of the movie.
As the credits began to crawl, Miguel removed his hand so he could stretch out his arms. They waited a bit, discussing the film and watching the credits until the crowd dispersed. Once it had thinned, they finally got up from their seats. When they reached the exit, Miguel reached for Barry's hand intertwining their fingers once more. They slowly walked together to the parking lot enjoying the oddly warm night and clear, starry sky.
“A shooting star!” Miguel said pointing to the sky. “Make a wish.”
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't think that was a shooting star,” Barry said. “First, it was way too low in the atmosphere and, second, it looked almost purple. It was probably a jet or plane or something.”
“Spoilsport,” Miguel said, laughing. “Who needs a shooting star, anyway. I already got my wish.”
Barry felt Miguel pull in close and their lips were suddenly brushing together. Everything seemed to slow down around them and Barry couldn't be sure if it was his speed powers or the passion of the moment or both. It didn't matter. His brain suddenly caught up to the rest of him and he pushed firmly into Miguel and his lips, deepening the kiss.
The kiss seemed to last for hours but, realistically, was only a few seconds. When Miguel finally pulled away, Barry's lips tingled from the contact and he could still taste the spearmint of the other boy's gum. He bit back the urge to scream out a “woo-hoo” at the top of his lungs before leaping on Miguel for a second kiss.
“Whoa, for a second there, I though you might pull away. That was some first kiss,” Miguel said brushing a finger against his own lips. He glanced at his watch. “It's only twenty past ten, we still have time before I need to take you home.”
Barry didn't want the night to end. As nervous as he'd been at the start of it, he just wanted to keep it going. He liked Miguel a lot, but he knew that if he didn't end the date now, he'd end up staying with him all night long...
“I've had a blast, but..” Barry said with a sigh. “I do think I should get home.”
Miguel's smile faded, “I understand. I know you said you've got plans tomorrow morning.”
“Hey,” Barry said, grabbing Miguel's chin and turning his face toward his own. He stared deep into Miguel's dark brown eyes. “I really did have an amazing time. I hope we can do it again.” He leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on Miguel's lips causing them both to smile again.
“You still owe me a song,” Miguel said. They both laughed.
“Well, if you're not busy Sunday, Susan Dearborn and I are going to the groundbreaking ceremony for the S.T.A.R. Labs facility they're building. There won't be karaoke, but maybe afterwards we can grab lunch.”
“You're not worried about Susan finding out about us?” Miguel asked. “I thought you wanted to keep things a bit hush-hush?”
“Sue's bound to find out anyway, if she doesn't know already. Besides, I guess I don't really care if people know about us or not.”
“Aye, dios mio!” Miguel shouted. “I need to get you home before I decide to kidnap you and make-out with you all night long.” He grabbed Barry's hand once more and they ran to the parking lot, laughing loudly as they went.