Work Text:
Patty’s hacking away at her report when a throat clears across from her. She ignores it and keeps typing, still a little frustrated by Joe’s dishonesty and not ready to deal with him again yet. “Hi.” A chipper, definitely-not Joe West voice surprised her enough to peer around her computer screen to see a pretty black woman wearing a plaid dress under a green army jacket. “Have you seen my dad?” Patty’s eyes click from the woman to the photo on the edge of Joe’s desk and she smiles brightly at her.
“Oh my god! You’re the hot not-sister!” Patty says before her eyes go wide and she claps her hands over her mouth, mortified.
“What?” Iris laughs, stepping closer.
“Nothing. Forget I said anything.” Patty says, standing and reaching out to shake her hand “I’m Patty Spivot, Eddie Thawne’s repla- oh dear god.”
Iris smiles sadly. “I know who you are, Patty.”
“I’m so sorry.” Patty says, covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers.
“Don’t be. You didn’t mean anything by it.” Iris says, reaching out to shake Patty’s hand. “I’m Iris West and you’re Patty Spivot, my dad’s new partner and my best friend’s… girlfriend?” Iris asks tilting her head and grinning coyly.
“I wouldn’t say girlfriend yet. More like friend that’s a girl. Well not like you two. I mean we’ve kissed but I wouldn’t say we’re in love yet and- and I’m gonna stop talking now just long enough to shove my foot down my throat if that’s okay.” Patty says, laughing at herself.
Iris laughs again, pulling her dad’s chair around to sit next to Patty. “It’s okay, I know it’s a little weird.”
Patty laughs and shrugs.
“So,” Iris says, leaning one arm on Patty’s desk. “you think I’m hot?”
“No!” Patty says reflexively, blushing brightly as a few cops turn to look at them. “I mean yes, I mean sortta, I mean- ugh.” Patty smacks her face down into her open palm wincing and Iris laughs again, patting her other hand.
“Relax. I suppose the hot not-sister title from Cora in IT?”
Patty looks up surprised. “Yeah, how’d you know?” she asks, leaning forward before smiling and sitting back.
“Reporter, yeah.”
Iris smiles, “Actually, she called me that to my face last time I came by looking for some details.”
Patty laughs and rubs her neck awkwardly. “Look, I’m sorry about what I said before, about- about Eddie.”
Iris shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself, curling in a bit. “It’s alright. I mean, I still miss him but it’s been months now. You’re not the first person to mention him.”
Patty gently touches Iris’ knee. “I’m still sorry. I’ve read his case reports. He was a good man, a hero even.” Iris blinks away tears and takes Patty’s hand. “He’d have liked you. He’d be honored to have you watching my dad’s back.”
“Yeah. I just wish he was more honest with me.”
“My dad?”
“It’s no big deal, nothing for you to worry about.” Patty says, awkwardly shuffling some paperwork around on her desk. “Just work tension. He’s still getting used to me. He misses Eddie too.”
“Honest how, though?”
“Well the Dr. Light-“ Patty abruptly looks around and then back at Iris. “I hate to ask, but this is off the record, right?”
“Of course. This is just girl talk.”
Patty smiles. “Girl talk concerning a metahuman murder suspect?”
Iris makes a fake-affronted face. “Are you suggesting that’s inappropriate subject for girl talk?”
Patty laughs and sits back in her chair. “He pulled me off the case. The Dr. Light case. And he won’t tell me why. This woman murdered a man, one both your father and you knew personally. And he just wants me to drop it now.”
Iris chews on her lip for a second before sighing. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a wonderful father and Barry and I are so lucky to have him, but, yeah, my dad does have some issues with keeping secrets. But believe me, he only does it because he thinks it’s the best way to keep others safe.”
Patty huffs and smacks her desk harder than she means to. “That’s sweet and all but I’m not just some little girl playing cops and robbers. I’ve been through the same training as every other cop here.”
Iris smiles at her. “And from what I’ve heard you’ve got even more guts. Look, I know my dad is kindda being a jerk right now but trust him. He’ll come clean as soon as he can. If you want, though, I could say something to him-”
“No!” Patty says jumping a little. “No, that’s fine. I’m his partner. We should be able to work this out on our own.”
Iris smiles at her. “You’re right. You’ll be good for him.” Iris raises her eyebrows a touch and widens her smile. “Good for Barry too.”
Patty blushes again and tucks her hair behind her ear. “I hope so. I really like him…” patty takes a deep breath before blurting out the next thing that comes to her mind. “I-was-actually-really-worried-about-meeting-you-because-I-heard-Barry-sortta-had-a-thing-for-you.”
Iris takes a deep breath and smiles sadly. “Yeah, it’s a little weird. Right before- a few days before Eddie died, he told me.” Patty’s face crumples into a look of deep sympathy. “I…” Iris sighs and looks around, shrugging. “I didn’t really know how to handle it then and now that Eddie’s gone I can’t-“
Patty bites her lip and touches Iris’ hand again. “I can back off if you want. I mean you’ve known Barry your whole life, you deserve-”
Iris shakes her head forcefully. “I don’t deserve Barry.” she says tensely. “He’s not a prize I can win because my last boyfriend died.” Patty opens her mouth to speak and Iris holds a hand up, stopping her. “Love is complicated. And I know from experience you should enjoy it for as long as possible.” Iris smiles brightly at her, taking her hand again. “I’m really glad Barry’s happy and that you’re happy. That’s all that matters, right?”
Patty laughs weakly around the tightness in her throat. “Yeah, I guess so… Hey, have you seen those videos of babies going through tunnels for the first time?” she asks, smiling.
They’re still giggling over videos when Joe West stomps into the room, arguing with Captain Singh as they walk. He doesn’t bother to look before sitting down and spins his arms like propellers to keep from falling to the floor.
“The hell happened to my chair?!” he yells before spotting Iris smiling up at him innocently. “Oh hey, baby. I uh, guess you met Patty, my new…”
“Partner? Yeah.” Iris leans over to hug Patty before wheeling her chair over to Joe and giving him a peck on the cheek. "Bye, Dad, love you. See you, Patty!"
After she leaves, Patty rolls her chair to face Joe across their desks. “So Joe. About Dr. Light-”
“Oh god, not again…”