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"So…is this like a thing now?"
Caitlin poked her head out of the bathroom door, her one eyebrow cutely raised. "Is what a thing now?"
Barry raised his hand, which currently had one of her hair ties wrapped around his fingers, lightly stretching it out. "I've been finding a handful of these in random places all around my apartment."
Caitlin fully exited the bathroom in her silky, blue bedgown to pluck the item out of his hand. "Probably because in the heat of the moment, you're the one tangling them out of my hair and flinging them across the room. You're lucky if I can ever find them again," she amusingly pointed out as she then used the hair tie to put her hair into a simple ponytail.
She looked so effortlessly beautiful.
"True," he admitted with a chuckle, before rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just that…I've been finding other stuff of yours too."
Her face scrunched up. "Like what?"
"Well," Barry started, "I noticed you had a sweatshirt of yours in the closet by the front door."
She shrugged. "You know I get cold sometimes, so I like to have one of my sweaters nearby in case I need one."
"You could always use one of mine."
She offered him a smile. "I know, but sometimes I prefer my own."
He cleared his throat. "Right, uh, and…you - you were just brushing your teeth with a toothbrush that I noticed you kept here this morning."
"I knew I was coming back here tonight, so I thought I'd keep it here for convenience…" she slowly answered, watching him unsurely. "Are you uncomfortable with me keeping some of my things here from time to time?"
"No!" he was quick to reassure her, moving forward to wrap his arms around her waist to further placate any worries she may be having. He wasn't lying either; seeing her little things scattered around his place made his heart pleasantly burn. "I don't mind at all, but since I've been noticing that more and more of your things are being left at my apartment, I was wondering if you'd like a…proper place…for them."
She leaned her head back to get a better look at him. "A proper place?"
Barry nodded, a smile filled with excited anticipation slowly overcoming his features. "Here, let me show you," he told her as he gently took one of her hands and guided her back into the bathroom.
He then went over to the counter, opening up one of the drawers. "I emptied this drawer out for you so that you could put some of your stuff in it, you know, if you wanted to do that. And, I mean, you don't have to use this drawer if you think you'd like another better. Honestly, you can put your stuff anywhere really, but I thought you'd like a designated space just for your stuff since I know you like to keep things organized and-"
Caitlin stepped up on her tippy toes to give him a short peck, effectively interrupting his rambling. "I love it," she told him as her lips spread into a grateful grin, causing her eyes to glow like honey in the sun.
He let out a sigh of relief, the little knot of anxiety that had been nestled inside his chest all evening, slowly unraveling. They hadn't been together too long, so he didn't want to seem like they were moving too fast. "I also cleared out a space in my closet too, so you can leave some extra clothes or whatever you wish."
"You didn't have to do all of this."
Barry shook his head as he delicately cupped her face. "I wanted to, because I want you to feel just as comfortable here as you do at your apartment. Heck, bring one of your plants over and stock the fridge with your jello if you must."
She giggled, causing butterflies to flutter around in his stomach. "Don't make suggestions that I may be too tempted to refuse," she playfully told him. "Because I actually think my one ficus would look mighty nice in your living room."
"Then bring it over, I'll love it, just like I love you," he told her before leaning down to press a small kiss on her lips.
"Smooth," she smilingly teased against his lips. "Sweet, but smooth."
He puffed out his chest. "That's how I roll," he said, in what he hoped was a sultry voice as his hands coasted down her curves to rest on her hips.
She snorted as she buried her face into his chest. "You are such a dork," she told him, before leaning back, her eyes filled with nothing but clear adoration as they roamed over his face. "But I wouldn't change that for the world."
Barry's eyes softened. He's never felt more loved as himself than he has been with Caitlin. That's why he wanted to open not only his heart but his home to her. "I love you," he expressed, placing a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you too," she responded. "Which is why I want you to know that you can leave anything of yours at my place too."
He grinned. "I like the sound of that," he told her. "Though," he added as an afterthought, scratching the side of his head, "I'll just have to be careful about what I leave, because remember the one time I accidentally left my wallet? My cash and credit cards ended up in one of Frost's masterpieces."
Caitlin grimaced through an optimistic smile. "Right…I'll have to talk to her about that."
Barry shook his head, chuckling. "Come on, let's get to sleep," he told her, guiding her to his bed. "We can talk more about this in the morning."