Work Text:
Is that… knocking?
What time is it? You reach over to check your phone on the bedside table. It glows, reading 1:42 am.
The knocking continues as you put on your robe. It’s not an incessant, urgent sort of noise, but it still has you worrying.
You open the front door to your apartment, finding Barry with his knuckles ready to rap at the door again. His head is dipped, so you are unable to see his face fully, but he looks devoid of all energy.
“Barry…? What’s going on?”
At last, your friend lifts his head. Your heart breaks upon seeing his face - his jaw is tense, he’s fighting so hard not to let his tears fall. Barry has always been the kind of friend who doesn’t mind wearing his emotions on his sleeve, but right now, he’s fighting it.
“She told me to leave,” he says, voice tight. “I didn’t know where else to go right now.”
“Oh my God… In, in,” you usher him inside. Barry shuffles into your apartment like a lost animal, not knowing exactly where to park himself. Eventually, he settles for a seat at your kitchen table. You sit next to your friend but are conscious of giving him space.
“Iris- she’s… I know she’s upset about Joe and what happened tonight…” Barry’s voice cracks, “But it’s like she can’t see how hard I’m still trying to save everyone even though…” He shows you his wrist monitor - It’s red.
“Oh, Barry.” You can’t help it. You give him the biggest hug you could possibly give. He muffles something into your shoulder. “What’s that?”
Barry pulls back a bit to repeat. “She said she’s not my home anymore.”
Immediately, your mouth drops, followed by another hug to your friend. But then you frown. Out of all the intense situations and high stakes crises Barry and Iris have been through, now all of a sudden she’s given up on him? On them? Besides, this isn’t the first time you’ve encountered Iris being unlike herself lately.
“Barry?”
“Yeah?”
“Something’s not right here. And something is definitely not right with your wife.”