“I Swear I’m Not A Creep.”
Pairing: Barry Allen x Reader
Request (from @captainelsaeverdeen) : ‘Hi ! :) Could you possibly write another Barry Allen imagine, where he saves the reader one night, and he immediately falls for her, and since then every night he watches her from her work to her house in secret, until one day she caught him? That will be awesome :D’
A/N: Hello! I’m so sorry it took me so long to write this, but like I said I am a slow writer. Thank you all for your patience! Feedback is always appreciated, as well as requests, so keep requesting! Also, I’m considering only writing imagines for The Flash, just because it’s what I’m most passionate about right now. Do you guys think I should make that change? Anyway, thanks for reading this!
The last thing Barry needed that day was another metahuman attack, but of course, that’s what he got. It’s not that he didn’t love saving Central City from impending doom, he just had a lot on his plate that day, and his luck seemed to turn against him. He had to process the evidence from two reported robberies, a shooting, and on top of having to about thirty people from a bus crash, he had to have a lunch date with Iris. Well, of course it wasn’t a real date. Iris didn’t see him that way, and at some point along the way, without really realizing it, Barry started getting over his feelings for her.
“Cisco, I’m not really in the mood to deal with some crazy meta who thinks they rule the world. Could the cops handle it?” He hoped to God they could.
“Uh, this lady can shoot freakin’ lava from her hands, man. I don’t think the cops know how to deal with that.” Cisco replied.
Barry sighed. Why did the world hate him today? Being a superhero really messed with his personal life, that was the only part of the job he was not too fond of. That, and getting his ass kicked on almost all of his first encounters with new villains, but to have such an amazing ability, like being able to run faster than the speed of sound, never ceased to astonish him. Feeling the wind rush past his face, electricity surging through his body, it made him feel alive. He was trying to follow Oliver’s direction on patience and canvassing before saving the day, but sometimes he couldn’t stop himself. Cisco gave him the location of the rogue and he ran. The Magma Maiden, as Cisco called her, was on her way to Iron Heights, and Barry was dead set on stopping her.
He arrived at Iron Heights in a matter of seconds, and once he was outside the gates, his feet came to a halt, lightning and dirt flying in all directions as they skidded across the dry ground. “Cisco, you got eyes on her?” He asked, catching his breath.
“Yeah, thanks to my mad skills, I was able to hack into their security system.” Barry smiled and rolled his eyes. Cisco was a great guy, but he could get a little cocky at times. “Looks like she’s in the contact visitation center.”
“I’m on my way.” Barry said, taking off yet again, sending more grime into the air.
Since Barry had been studying the layout of the prison for most of his life, slipping in unnoticed was pretty easy, but being surround by an atmosphere that had collared his father for so long was almost too much to handle. The cold walls, the lifeless hallways, the tiny cells, identical to the one that had kept his only remaining family locked away for 15 years.
Such small details, like the locks on each door, or the cameras lining each corridor reminded him of every depressing memory that led up to that moment, but they also reminded him of why he was there in the first place. He needed to defend his city from criminals like the man who locked his father away. He needed to save people and get faster, stronger, so he could one day return home with his father in company.
Now, he had to deal with one of those criminals. Bursting into the visiting center, he instantly started reliving the first time he saw his father after he was confined. The exact table they sat at when his father hit him with the burning truth was right in front of his eyes. The table that somehow crushed all of his hope and stole all of his faith. He gaped at it, sorrow and misery and every other horrible emotion rammed into his brain. It was weird how such a conventional object, one that meant nothing to the ordinary eye, could have that much of an affect on him. He’d completely forgotten about the mission until he felt a searing heat strike his chest. The meta.
Barry was thrown back against the wall, and that’s when he saw her for the first time. She wore all black, but there were a few holes in the material, probably from being scorched by her own powers. Her hair was the same color as the clothing, sleek and straight, all accompanied by piercing crimson eyes, but what was really peculiar about her appearance was her skin. It was completely red, with third-degree burns running up and down her complexion. The blisters bubbled and pulsed as if they had minds of their own. It was a sickening sight.
“You come here to stop me, Flash?” She asked, breaking his attention from her image. The excruciation pain in his chest subsided slightly, but not by much. If Cisco hadn’t designed the suit to survive extreme heat, he would have been dead for sure. He was able to stand, nonetheless. “If you are, then I’m sorry to inform you that I will not stop until I carry out my desire.”
“And what is that desire, exactly?” Barry asked, stalling. He needed to regain his strength before he could go any further.
“My sister was murdered one year ago by this man,” The Magma Maiden continued. She turned her back to him and faced the other corner of the room. There stood a man, crouched in the intersection of the two walls. He was obviously an inmate from his attire; a grey prisoner jumpsuit, just like the one Barry’s father had been forced to wear. Being back in that prison reunited him with so many terrible memories.
The man spoke. “I swear, I didn’t mean to do it! I was just lighting a cigarette, I didn’t know it was gonna burn your house down!” He exclaimed. Barry actually found himself believing the guy.
“I don’t want an apology, I want revenge!” The meta yelled. She lifted her hands up above her head, about to use her powers. The man braced for impact, tears welling in his eyes. Barry knew how scared he must have been. Watching death’s ominous claws reaching towards you was not something you could easily get over. The feeling of imminent death was one of the worst thing in the world.
The rogue stepped towards him, the scarlet liquid growing at her fingertips. Just then, before she had a chance to apply her powers, a voice rang out from down the hall. It was your voice. You called a name.
“David? David, are you here?”
The man, who Barry now assumed was David, looked alarmed. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape. Fear struck him like a bullet. He yelled back to you. “Y/N, stay back!” It probably wasn’t the most appropriate time to be thinking so, but Barry had never heard a name as beautiful as that. Y/N. It echoed in his mind, over and over.
You ignored the warnings and entered anyway. As soon as you did, Barry’s eyes went wide. You were the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. Everything about you screamed perfection in his ears. You were so lovely, he almost forgot he could die any moment. Then your voice, which was also incredibly gorgeous, freed him from his trance.
“What the hell-” Your words caught in your throat when you surveyed the sight in front of you. The blistering surface of the Magma Maiden must’ve been an even worse display for you, since you didn’t have to experience the things Barry did everyday. Your eyes were glued to the woman’s skin as pieces of it flaked away, floating down to the ground. Shock crossed your features and you tried to back up slowly, but the meta ran up and grasped your neck before you could get away. Your staring upset her.
“You think I want to look like this? That I chose this?!” Her grip tightened, and your face turned purple. Veins popped from your skin as you struggled for breath, wheezing as your wind pipe’s circumference shrunk. Barry was about to make a move, but the meta stopped him. “You come any closer, she dies.” He froze. He didn’t even know this girl, yet seeing her in dangerous paralyzed him with fear. David began pleading with her.
“No! Please don’t hurt her!” He cried, tears in his eyes.
“Oh? And why not?” The meta asked through gritted teeth. You wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. Your eyes were starting to fall shut.
“Because she’s my sister!”
Barry’s attention shifted to him. That was probably the worst thing he could have said. If this woman lost her sister because of him, she would undoubtedly kill his. Make him feel what she felt. An eye for an eye, a sister for a sister.
A wicked smile grew on the meta’s face and she threw you across the room, right in front of your brother. You laid still a few moments, and Barry assumed the worst. Then, your head lifted slightly and your shallow breaths filled the silence. The hot, thick air made it even harder to breathe, and the smell of ash hung in the atmosphere. your gasps continued, grabbing for air that wasn’t there. The Magma Maiden paraded forward. Her eyes glowed bright, the pupils and irises of each transforming into a pure white shade. Heat and power surged around her form, the lava creating a tornado that circled her body.
Barry yelled to her. “You don’t have to do this! He’s paying for what he did!”
The meta turned her head ever so slightly, just so Barry could see the side of her face, her vile grin still present. Eyes searing and hands sizzling, she replied. “He hasn’t paid enough.”
Her hands shot up into the air, and the scarlet substance grew at her fingertips. The stream of lava flew toward you, but Barry was not about to let you die. The world slowed around him and he ran to you. He scooped you up in his arms, and rushed you outside the facility. In his slow motion view, he finally got a good look at you. You truly were beautiful. He dropped you at the front gates and obviously didn’t have the time to say much, but he felt the need to speak to you. “Stay here.” That was all he could think of before racing back inside.
The Magma Maiden towered over David, her powers primed to end his life. “If I can’t have your sister, I guess you’ll have to do.” She settled. Barry made it back just in time to shove her out of the way before she could do so. Her back hit the wall and she slid down it, but her ability wasn’t disabled. With an angered grunt she shot magma at Barry, but he was able to dodge it. While he was somewhat distracted, the meta swept her leg up under his, and sent him falling to the ground. She jammed her foot into his stomach once she was on her feet again and left him groaning in pain on the floor. The evil smile that had sent shivers up Barry’s spin had returned as she strode back over to David.
“Looks like Central City’s little scarlet speedster can’t save you now.” She taunted him. Just then, Barry heard Cisco’s voice burst through his suit’s speaker.
“Bro, do you see those pipes running up the wall to your left?” Barry looked around the room as fast as he could. He didn’t have much time. As soon as he found the huge gray channels, Cisco continued. “Those puppies hold over 300 psi of water. You rupture one of them, Magma would be out like a light.”
All he had to do was break a pipe? That would be way easier than trying to fight a human volcano. Plus, Barry had an idea of how he could do it. He jumped to his feet. “Hey, hot-head!” He shouted across the room. If he could get one of her blast close enough to one of the pipes, it would most likely explode. He just needed her attention.
Magma didn’t take well to the nickname. She looked even more enraged than she did before. “Don’t you dare call me that!” She drifted toward Barry, thankfully facing him and not David anymore. To say she looked scary was an understatement. Teeth bared and eyes glowing, she looked murderous. Barry had slowly circled around the room so he was directly in front of the pipe. Just one outburst was all it required to stop her. But he believed in second chances, and before he put her away into the pipeline, he was going to give her one.
“Listen, I know this man hurt you. I know he took something from you that you won’t ever be able to replace. I lost someone important to me, too, but I didn’t succumb to the hate and anger I felt. You’ve been given something special, a gift, but with this gift comes a choice. Do you really want to be the bad guy here, or do you want to use your powers for good?” That was the best argument he could compel, now all he needed was her decision.
For a split second, and a split second only, Barry saw her actually consider his offer, but then the contemplation in her eyes was gone. “I want this man dead. That’s my choice.” With a loud roar, she sent what must have been over fifty gallons of lava hurtling for Barry’s face. He stepped out of the way, and the magma burnt right through the pipes.
Water spurt everywhere and steam filled the room, making it next to impossible to see. The meta screamed and fell to the floor, unconscious and unable to use her powers. Barry stood over her, triumphant, then spoke to Cisco. “We got her.” He said, smiling to himself. He picked her up and started his most likely 15 second trek back to S.T.A.R. Labs. But before he ran, he remembered the girl, David’s sister, you. You needed to know that your brother was okay, and Barry definitely wasn’t using that as an excuse to see you again…
He bolted out of the prison, the Magma Maidens limp body still in his arms. It was going to be a bit awkward talking to you with an inert woman in his arms, but he didn’t really have anywhere else to put her. As he sprinted by, he saw multiple cops infiltrating the facility, though they wouldn’t have much to do except return the prisoner to his cell. They had also relocated you to the back of an ambulance. Barry stopped in his tracks once he saw you. A medic was circling around, trying to help with the bruises on your neck. You shooed her away, though the injury looked like it needed attention. Just from that, Barry could tell you were a fighter.
The medic gave up and turned around, and Barry saw that as the perfect opportunity to whoosh you away. He grabbed your hand, which was really difficult because he still had the metahuman in his arms, but he managed to find a way. Air rushed by as he ran the two of you to a secluded area. It was a small forest, just outside the prisons boundaries.
Once he was far enough in the woodland, he came to a stop. Dirt and fallen leaves sprung up into the air from the sudden motion, and some even got into your hair. Your reaction to abruptly moving at superhuman speed was priceless, and Barry couldn’t help but smile at how adorable you looked. Your eyes were as wide as the moon, your hair a complete mess with strands flying in every direction. But somehow, you still managed to look beautiful.
Your eyes fell on Barry, and you started to ramble in disbelief. “How did… What was-”
“Hey, it’s okay. Look at me, you’re fine. Your gonna be fine.” He set the Magma Maiden on the ground for the moment, and reached out to take your hands. He looked you straight in the eye, forgetting to conceal his identity. That would probably come back to bite him in the butt later, but at that moment, he didn’t care.
A haunted look formed on your feature. “My brother, is he…?” You trailed off.
“No, no. You brother is okay. I was able to stop her before she caused any real damage.” He reassured you.
You stood still for a moment, at a loss for words. Barry could see you were grateful, he could also see you did not know how to express how indebted you were. Your eyes closed briefly, and once they opened again, they were polished with tears. Barry didn’t know what came over him. He just felt a sudden urge, an urge to comfort you. He dropped your hands, and wrapped his arms around you.
Tears fell from your eyes as you buried you face in his chest. He felt happiness, not only for being able to save the day once again, but because he saved you and was there to help you, a girl he didn’t even know. Rescuing people always came with a sense of pride and triumph, but none felt quite like that.
Love at first sight was never something Barry ever thought he’d believe in, but now he wasn’t so sure…
It happened about three days after that fight at Iron Heights. Barry couldn’t get the thought you out of his head. Your image of you was stuck to the front of his brain, not willing to budge. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw you. He saw your beautiful eyes, your gorgeous hair. He regretted not getting the chance to see you smile before he returned you to the ambulance, where he then told you to let them treat the bruises on your neck. Not everyone had super fast healing.
Barry had taken the Magma Maiden back to S.T.A.R. Labs where she would be spending the rest of her days and nights. Dr. Wells had said he had been working on a way to remove her powers and those of all the super-criminals, but that didn’t seem to be his first priority. He was mainly focused on improving Barry’s speed, for whatever reason.
Once he’d gotten back from the mission, Cisco seem particularly interested in what happened.
“You took pretty long getting back here, what was that about?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as they walked into the cortex.
“Oh, uh, nothing. I just had to take care of some… stuff.” Barry replied.
A small smirk appeared on his face, “What kind of ‘stuff’?” Cisco had been watching the fight as it went down from the security cameras. He saw the way Barry looked at you, and he knew something was up.
Barry sighed and rolled his eyes. “The guy the meta was after had a sister, I was just informing her that her brother was all right.”
“Did you get her number?” Cisco asked eagerly.
“No, I didn’t think to ask for it as she sobbed in my arms.” He replied.
“You should’ve Han Solo’d her. Laid down the charm.” Cisco wiggled his eyebrows.
Barry rolled his eyes once again. His friends were crazy and insane, but that was a good thing. Getting superpowers wasn’t even half of what he’d been so fortunate to have, he just didn’t feel as favored when he was forced to say goodbye to you. Through all the luck and riches there always seemed to be a shadow, a shadow that held all the misfortune he could ever ask for. Like the death of his mom, or his father being imprisoned, or losing you.
Barry had went out to Jitters, to clear his mind. The warm atmosphere of the coffee shop always calmed his nerves. Three days, and you were still the topic of conversation in his mind. No matter where he went or how fast he ran, he couldn’t get away from the thought of you. You were constantly roaming his mind, reminding him of the hardship that was the fact he’d never get to see you again.
As he entered the cafe, he kept his eyes down, not really in the mood to talk to anyone who might recognize him. He just wanted to be alone for the time being. A gust of warm air greeted him at the door, as well as the fixed scent of freshly brewed coffee. Inhaling the pleasant smell, Barry walked to the counter. At that time of night the place was usually empty, most people preferring night clubs over a coffee shop.
There were only two or three people in the room, all of whom were on their personal devices, whether it was a phone, a tablet, or a laptop. Barry thought back to the time he met Martin Stein for the first time. He was definitely right about being the only millennial to still read actual books.
Barry had been so caught up in his own memories, he didn’t realize the barista at the counter was trying to get his attention.
“Hello, sir? Would you like to order a drink? We’re closing soon.”
That voice. He recognized that voice. It was the same one that had been tumbling around his skull for the past three days, the one who’s sobs he stifled that night. It was your voice. The one he’d been longing to hear for what seemed like a century.
Then he saw your eyes, your beautiful, radiant eyes. They looked twenty time more gorgeous now since they had been drained of tears. You weren’t smiling though. Barry couldn’t imagine how much more incredible you must’ve looked while smiling.
He got lost in his thoughts again and stood silent, awkwardly gawking at your face. You stared back narrow-eyed. “Sir? Can I help you?”
Barry’s eyebrows shot up as he was welcomed back to reality. “Wha- Oh, yeah. I’ll have a decaf latte.” He replied, handing you a few dollars and blinking a couple times. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The girl that ruled his mind, the one he didn’t even know, the one he thought he’d never see again was right there in front of him.
You turned away to start working on his order, leaving him to think. What were the odds that the girl he couldn’t stop thinking about, a total stranger, just happened to work at his favorite coffee shop? How come he’d never seen you there before? You must’ve been new.
After a minute or two, you spun back around, placing the freshly brewed drink before him. “Enjoy,” You said with a tight smile.
“Thanks,” He muttered, still in awe, his voice almost too weak to even escape his throat. One of the red chairs in the room summoned him and he took a seat, sipping the coffee. He made sure he could still see you from where he sat. After not seeing you for what felt like a decade, he was not going to take his eyes off of you. Seeing you in a non-life-or-death situation calmed him, and finally let him see just how amazing you were.
He’d spent the rest of that night watching you, in a non-stalkerish way, of course. He would catch glimpses of you every few minutes, trying to pass the time by seeing how many times you would twirl a piece of your hair out of boredom. It was starting to become a game. You would lean behind the counter, biting your lip and playing with your locks. The bruises on your neck had vanished, and Barry was happy to know that you were completely healed.
Even though he knew next to nothing about you, he felt like he needed you in his life. He needed to have you show up at some point in his day, just as another reminder for why he does what does.
There was no logical explanation for what Barry began doing after that night. He started going to Jitters every single night, just so he could see you. Always ordering the same drink, and always sitting in the same chair. It became a habit. Never talking to you once, he would get his coffee, then sit and admire you.
One time, after being there every night that week, Barry showed up at Jitters yet again, going through the normal routine. He ordered, sat, watched. Little did he know, you had noticed his pattern.
You strutted up to him, and thankfully the shop was empty at the time, so you could be as vocal as you wanted. “Listen pal, I don’t know what your game is, but I need you to stay away from me.”
Barry was in a trace before you approached him, glancing at your frame and all your features. You were perfect to him. His mouth opened and closed, trying to form coherent words. “Wha-”
He wasn’t able to get out his sentence before you interrupted. “Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve seen you in here every night since the first time you came. You just sit down and watch me. I don’t need some creepy guy stalking me, so back off.”
Barry’s assumption about you being a fighter had been right. Your hands were on your hips, your eyebrows raised, a frown on your face. You were confident and strong and got straight to the point, but he really did not want you to think he was some random sicko. “I-I’m so sorry. I saw you the other day and you just were so beautiful and I couldn’t stop myself-” He rambled on for a few more seconds, not making any logical sentences besides ‘I’m sorry’ multiple times. “I swear I’m not a creep.” He finished when he finally got control of his mind.
“You sure act like one.” You replied, and Barry sensed a hint of irritation in your voice.
“I know what this looks like, but I promise I’m not a stalker. Just hear me out. Please.” He begged. He felt like his heart was about to explode. Never in his life had he experienced a connection so deep to someone, especially at first glance, and he’d only know you existed a little while ago. His heart raced at the thought of you, his mouth dried at the sight of you. He was not about to lose the person who could potentially be the love of his life. “Okay, um... Is there anyway I can prove to you that I’m not a rapist? W-Why don’t I take you out on a date?” It was a long shot, but he was willing to take the chance.
A thoughtful look overtook your features as you debated whether or not to trust him. Barry was hoping with all his might that you’d say yes, although he had kind of been stalking you for the past week. Would you really trust him, a guy that for all you know could be total lunatic?
You thought for a little while longer, then sighed. “Fine, you are pretty cute, but if you try anything suspicious, I will run like the wind.” A smile tugged at your lips, as well as his.
He then realized he never actually introduced himself. “I’m Barry, by the way.” He said extending a hand, his grin only broadening.
“Y/N.” You replied shaking it.
Suddenly, he felt no remorse for going to the prison that night, even if he had a tough day. He actually felt quite lucky that that meta attacked, because if she hadn’t Barry would never have met the love of his life. He must’ve had all the luck in the world that day.
