(no subject)

[callmenoah]

Central City wouldn't have been Noah's first guess, when it came to places Claire might settle down. He would have thought New York or California, to be closer to family. She'd been running for long enough, he thought she might choose a place where it'd be easier for her to plant some roots. But no, she was adamant about going somewhere she could start fresh. 

He held back his 'I told you so' when she told him about the bar fight, purely because when she described the attack, it wasn't something either of them could have foreseen, not even him with all his years in the field. Meta-humans were completely unfamiliar to him, and from what he'd been told, had the potential to be more even powerful than evolved humans. There wasn't much that scared him, but this certainly was unnerving, especially if Claire had found herself in their crosshairs so quickly. 

She was shifty about the reasons why, which indicated that it was something important to her. He didn't press for too much in the way of details, instead letting her feed him the information however she was most comfortable doing so. It had taken years to adjust his communication style in this way, but considering how much his daughters trust in him had grown, it was worth the effort. 

They'd been in regular communication, and she had seemed to be in especially high spirits after her date. Considering how private she had been about her love life since Gretchen, when Barry's name kept coming up, Noah paid attention. As far as he could tell, she was over the moon for this guy. Sure enough, after the date, she talked about wanting to introduce them. It was entirely unlike her, or at least what he'd observed from her in the years after she had left Arlington and entered her nomadic lifestyle. This was serious. 

Noah had been content to wait a few more days for his trip to see her, but when she suddenly dropped off without warning - at least before her date she had reminded him she'd be busy for the evening - he assumed the worst. Fortunately Peter was ready with a quick 'port to Central City, though he was unable to stick around while Noah started his search. He'd promised to pop back after his shift and help if she wasn't found. Fortunately that wouldn't be necessary. Claire had expressed concerns about Peter's empathic powers in the presence of Metas, and neither had the chance to explain it to Peter. Even going off what little he knew, Noah shared those concerns, as well as concerns about Sylar being able to acquire Meta-human powers. 

Just piling on to the list of reasons he was here. First and foremost, though, he had to see Claire. He parked in the garage, then made his way inside and up to her door. With a breath to calm himself, he knocked. 

A moment later, Claire's smiling face appeared as the door swung open. "Hi, Daddy!" She sounded just like she had on the phone - like she knew she was in trouble. But there was no stopping a grin from taking over her face.

"Hello, Clairebear," came his response, half a grumble, because he couldn't stay mad. Not when she looked so happy. She rushed into his arms and he caught her easily for a big hug, head tucked down to press a kiss into her hair. "Please don't ever scare me like that again." 

"Sorry, Dad..." Claire looked up at him sheepishly. "We can explain, I promise!" She stepped back, and he followed her inside. Two pairs of shoes on the rug. It made sense; her text had said we're home. Had he moved in already, or was she just being concise? Her voice broke through his thoughts. "Dad... this is Barry. Barry, my dad." 

He'd never seen her look at anyone like that before. Not Gretchen, not... that stupid boy who could fly, whatever his name was. Definitely not that scumbag quarterback. This was different. Noah stepped forward, offering a hand. "I've heard so much about you, I almost feel like I know you." He tried to make it sound light-hearted and friendly, not threatening. "It's nice to meet you, Barry. Call me Noah."

Comments

[infinite1ups]

She melted at the kiss, hand on his cheek. It had her blushing when she pulled back a few moments later to catch her breath. "You're definitely the cutest." And then, with a thoughtful hum, "I think we're not just immune to this kind of sweetness, we almost thrive on it. It's the kind of medicine that always works."

[feelthelightning]

Barry chuckled. "It must be our hyper metabolism." He joked. "Are you ready to cuddle until we fall asleep? Maybe by tomorrow Jesse and Cait will have enough venom synthesised to whip up the antidote." He pressed a kiss to he blushing cheek.

[infinite1ups]

"Yeah, we could get ready for bed," she agreed. Part of her felt bad to not be helping Caitlin with the antidote, but she was glad Jesse was there in her place. But Claire didn't want to seem too worried because she and Cisco were still keeping Cait's secret.

"I don't think I've gotten this much sleep in years. You're like my teddy bear." She kissed him again, then pulled back with a smile.

[feelthelightning]

"Well, Iris and Joe do call me Bar." He said with amusement in his tone. "Might as well live up to the nickname. Because I'm not the ferocious kind. But I'll gladly be the cuddly kind." He lifted her into his arms bridal style and carried her at super speed, but on the much slower end, to her bedroom and flopped them both onto her bed with a chuckle. He kissed her neck and zipped away just long enough to get dressed down into boxers and a night shirt then was right back into bed with her.

"Your very own teddy bear." He rolled onto his side to let her up so she could get up and ready for bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. He was, after all, a gentleman. They were dating, but he wouldn't rush anything except how much he loved her. That included seeing her in any state of undress she wasn't comfortable with.

[infinite1ups]

Even the slower super speed was a delight, and though she knew they were supposed to take it easy, they would've survived a tumble in her bedroom just fine. She giggled as she suddenly found herself in bed, lingering a moment when Barry joined her again. "And I've been Clairebear since... forever. My dad's always called me that."

As Claire thought about that, she perked up. She gasped, actually. "Oh, my gosh. He calls me that because of me. When Hiro brought me back in time, I saw myself as a baby, and my parents. I told my dad to protect that baby, that she was his Clairebear." She was definitely going to have to ask her dad about that next time they spoke. Somehow it hadn't occurred to her until now.

Claire got up to get changed, giggling as she caught a glimpse of Barry covering his eyes. "I don't mind if the love of my life sees me changing into my pajamas," she assured him. These little domestic moments made her the happiest; it was something she didn't expect to find, and hadn't realized she was missing out on.

Even without super speed, it didn't take her too long to get more comfortable in a tank top and shorts. She crawled back into bed beside him, sighing contentedly. As much as she had loved her life on the road, this was heaven after some of those lonely nights in dingy motel rooms. "I want to end every day like this. You've got Flash Time, and now it's Bear Time."

[feelthelightning]

"That is the most adorable nickname origin story ever. You and me, we're time travel paradox menaces, aren't we?" So many things he'd done in the past he was learning were closed loops and fixed points.

"I didn't want to assume. That makes an ass out of... well, me. At least. Not so much you in this instance." He laughed and rolled back into prime cuddle position when he felt her weight back in the bed. "Flash Time is fun and all, but I'm really loving Bear Time." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I love you, Claire. I want to make every day of your life perfect."

[infinite1ups]

"I only went back the one time!" But it wasn't a real argument, she was laughing. "It was to do with that formula to give people abilities. There was a catalyst, some... essence inside one of us that was needed to complete the process of making the formula. Before Hiro and I went back, the catalyst was in me, but Hiro had it given to him instead."

In truth, she kind of wished the catalyst had been destroyed. But then without it, Peter wouldn't have been able to get his powers back at all. Plus Mohinder and Ando wouldn't have gotten their powers.

Claire snuggled in close as he pulled her into his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder, and it was like all the tension in her melted away immediately. "I love you so much. You really are my everything, Barry. Every day with you is perfect. You got all of me, always."

[feelthelightning]

"Don't tell Wells! He'll get on your case about it. Harry lectures feel like getting caught sneaking out after curfew." Lying in bed with her, laughing about their extended 'family' felt so good. Like he finally had something normal in his life again.

"And you're my everything. You should know by now that I'm all yours. Every last bit." He closed his eyes and just relaxed. Something he'd only been able to truly do since he started sharing a bed with her.

[infinite1ups]

"Don't I know it. I already heard it this morning." All the lectures in the world wouldn't change her mind, though. She'd put herself through anything to protect her new family. Just like her old family.

It had been far too long since Claire had been able to relax like this. Sure, there was plenty to worry about, but for once she could shut it all out and focus on how nice it felt to be wrapped up in Barry's arms. Never mind that these peaceful moments were often when nightmares and bad things started happening for her, as soon as she let her guard down.

"I know. But... I'll never get tired of hearing it. Got the man of my dreams, I'm so dang lucky."

[feelthelightning]

Barry couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sorry you two got hit this morning and I wasn't there. Cisco said the fight was over so fast, he didn't have time to message me, so he just went in himself." It really was a good thing Jesse was here now, though. She'd be able to stay at the Labs and keep Harry in medical without Cait staying overnight.

"Then I'll never get tired of saying it. I'm all yours. Because I've got the woman of my dreams in my arms right now."

[infinite1ups]

"Yeah, over fast 'cause I got dropped immediately. But he threatened Harry and made me mad, of course I was gonna rush him. Hate it when people call me Blondie." It was fine, she could laugh about it now. "I'm just glad Harry's gonna be okay." They all knew how it would have turned out if that blast had hit him instead.

"We really are kind of perfect for each other, aren't we?" Claire asked softly, a finger drawing circles on Barry's chest.

[feelthelightning]

"Hartley's never been tactful. Incredibly intelligent, but he has the people skills of a wet cactus. He used to be... well, he was a villain of ours. But I altered the timeline by accident and he became an ally when I got back. Still not sure how it happened, because I don't have the memories from it." Harry was only alive because she'd been there. They both may hate that Claire got hurt and gave them a scare, but had Hartley hit Harry with that blast like he'd been intending to, thinking he was Thawne, they would've lost Harry. "You and Wells both got caught up in more of Thawne's mistakes." He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"We are. How on Earth did we find each other? It's like you drew me in the moment you set foot in Central City." Like a lightning rod.

[infinite1ups]

"Thankfully Cisco got there when he did. He saved Harry just as much as I did. And saved me, too. I mean, I would've come around eventually, but I'm glad they kept an eye on me." Nothing like traumatic and stressful events to bond with her new found family. It sort of prickled at her that she couldn't tell Barry everything that happened, but she decided to trust in Cisco's assurance that it would all be okay once Caitlin was ready for the truth came out.

"Nah, you're the one who drew me in. You radiate with everything that's good, and I was a moth to a flame. I didn't realize I was looking at my future that day." She grinned and lifted her head to kiss his cheek. "And, I mean... yeah. Hot damn, you're super cute."

[feelthelightning]

"Cisco has an algorithm that keeps an eye out for unusual spikes in certain things. Sound, electricity, radiation, geological tremors, things relating to Meta powers. Hartley's attack tripped his alarm. He calls it his Meta-human Alert App, but it's not the same as Harry's. Harry's actually detects the unique energy given off by Meta-humans. So it can detect even undisclosed Metas." They all knew the power something like that could have in the wrong hands so it was kept on the down-low on this Earth. General Eiling had already shown interest in catching Metas and doing unspeakable things to create super soldiers.

"So, does that mean you're my lightning rod and I'm your flame?" He asked playfully, trying to hide the flustered reaction to her compliment. "And you're gorgeous."

[infinite1ups]

"Those things also relate to evolved human powers. I know people who have used them. Heck, Peter and Sylar have probably had some combination of those all at once." And that was just scratching the surface of the powers they had.

Try as he might to hide it, she knew what to look for in Barry's body language now. It was half the reason she liked complimenting him, because it was so adorable to get him all flustered. "Yeah, it does. You're also my flame because you're hot." Claire absolutely was trying to make him blush.

[feelthelightning]

"Then, he'll be able to ping disasters caused by most threats, natural and unnatural." Which was how the Flash got to crime scenes so efficiently. Well, when he wasn't dying. And lately Julian was making it harder to do his Flash duties... But that wasn't something to think about right now. This was happy cuddle time. Not grumpy 'I hate Julian Albert' time.

She was a crafty one. He ducked his head as a blush burned his cheeks. It wasn't hard to make him blush when he really wasn't used to those kinds of compliments. He's an easily flustered nerd, Claire, this was absolutely not fair! His next attempt at words come out as halted syllables that are completely incoherent.

[infinite1ups]

Probably for the best not to mention Julian. Claire was already proven to throw down for her loved ones, and the more she heard about Barry's jerk of a coworker, the less she liked him. But she wouldn't go around fighting cops anymore unless she had to, now that she was dating a cop.

She made a mental note to ask more about Cisco's tracking device later, because something like that would be hugely of interest to her dad, just as it was to her. Now, though? All she wanted to focus on was how stinkin' cute her boyfriend was, stumbling over his words just because she called him hot.

Listen, the door was wide open for that one with all the flame talk. She merely snatched the opportunity that was hanging right there.

Just as she caught the chance to lean up and kiss Barry while she'd left him speechless. Slow and tender, with the softest little nibble to his lower lip. She was beaming when she pulled back, sighing dreamily. "I adore you. And I'm gonna get you used to hearing how hot you are. Clearly you haven't been told enough."

[feelthelightning]

It would take some major convincing to get Cisco to share the STAR Labs satellite with anyone. He didn't even like Harry messing with it. The damn thing was his baby.

He made a soft surprised sound into the kiss and blinked up at her dreamily when she did pull back. He was flustered and breathless and way too lost in everything that was Claire. He didn't even verbally respond yet. Just leaned up for another kiss. Soft and slow, taking his time until his head was fuzzy and he broke it for a desperate breath.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing it. And if it means you keep kissing me like that, it's so worth it."

[infinite1ups]

She was mostly interested in the general concept and tracking of things. Ideas that could be feasibly implemented - with Cisco's permission, of course - to track evolved human activity. Though if it was tracking the phenomena themselves, and not any specific signature unique to an individual, Cisco's tracking would already be picking up evolved human abilities.

Something easy to test with Peter. Or, as a last resort, Sylar. They both had electrokinesis, and both had mentioned a power that had something to do with sound, similar to Hartley's gauntlet, except with their voice.

All thoughts of powers and pretty much anything else had pretty much vanished when she kissed Barry. The way everything else seemed to disappear felt like the closest thing to Flash Time without actually being in it. Claire couldn't even get a word out before he was kissing her again, and she wasn't about to pull away until he did.

She was a little breathless after, biting back a giggle of pure giddiness. "I'd be a fool if I didn't kiss my hot boyfriend like that every day." It was only fair after he called her his hot girlfriend earlier. "You," she kissed him again, then continued, "are everything I've ever wanted, and I'm never gonna let you forget it."

[feelthelightning]

It wasn't that he'd think that she'd misuse it, it was that he was just possessive of the satellite. It was his One Ring in a sense. But Barry would agree that it would be something interesting to test. And he was sure they could convince Cisco with enough sweet talking. Or Harry would just co-opt the satellite from Cisco as he's done in the past.

But those were thoughts for another time, because her giggle was like music and her words had him blushing again. "God, I love you, honey." He skated his hand up the side of her neck to prop the back of her head and stroke her jawline with his thumb.

[infinite1ups]

"I love you more," Claire playfully shot back with another peal of soft laughter. That line had always seemed so cheesy in those movies she watched with her mom, but now it made perfect sense.

That soft touch made her shiver, and she helped herself to another kiss before tilting her head to kiss Barry's neck. Just a gentle, affectionate thing before she nuzzled in for more cuddles. "I think after these next few days with us bunkering down here... I'm not gonna want you to leave. Y'know what I mean?"

[feelthelightning]

If she thought that was cliche, it was about to get worse. "I love you most." He laughed easily.

Though her next words caught him off guard. Not at first but once his brain processed them. "Yeah, I do. It's gonna be hard going back to sleeping in my own bed." He said almost dreamily. Then looked a bit more alert. Like he hadn't meant to actually say that out loud.

[infinite1ups]

Of course it was cliche, but Barry sounded so sweet that she didn't mind at all. She loved it. Even if she couldn't really top that.

Claire let slip another giggle, her lips finding his neck again, breath warm against his skin when she spoke. Maybe she was hiding her face a little because she was blushing so much. "I mean, what if you... didn't go back to sleeping in your own bed?"

[feelthelightning]

Goosebumps prickled over his skin where she brushed her lips and he shivered involuntarily. A good shiver. But the question made him pull back completely so he could catch her gaze to make sure she was serious. For a moment, he was stalled by how cute she looked with that blush.

"Are you... asking me to move in with you?" He sounded so hopeful and excited. "Because if you are, I'm absolutely saying yes, emphatically!"

[infinite1ups]

Despite the blush, Claire was completely serious. The hope in his voice, how excited he sounded, it made her all the more certain of her decision to ask.

"Yeah," she sighed. "You're here almost every night anyway, and..." Oh, right, he already said yes. No explanations or justifications needed. She beamed up at him, then went back in for a tighter hug. "Good. It doesn't feel as much like home when you're not here."