You rolled your shoulders and jumped around on the balls of your feet as you circled a punching bag. Sweat dripped into your eyes and down your back. With labored breath and a shout, you started beating up the bag. Tears fell, mingling with sweat and your grunts were soon replaced with cries of anger and frustration.

Men. The whole lot of them sucked.

You kept punching and punching and punching. You even added a few kicks. But it wasn't until your wrists started to burn and your knuckles were bloody that the one man you didn't hate strode in.

"Hey (Y/n), how goes- whoa! Hey, hey, hey," Barry Allen rushed over, grabbing your shoulders and making you face him, "what's the matter?"

You didn't answer him. You just stared at the blood splatter on the punching bag. But Barry wouldn't have it.

"(Y/n), hey, look at me," he cooed, reaching up to place his finger under your chin to have you face him, "you wanna talk about it?" But before you could even have the chance to say anything he spotted the blood dripping off your knuckles and onto the floor.

"What?! (Y/n)!" He hissed worriedly as if it were his hands that were hurting. "Come on. We need to get this taken care of. You can tell me what is eating at you once we are done."

You didn't say anything but you finally made eye contact with him. His bright eyes reminded you of a rich blue lake in the middle of a forest of trees. Safe and beautiful. You barely nod and let him gently guide pick you up and rush you to his own little place.

You had been to his small apartment before. He liked having his own place now that he had a kind of awkward bout with Iris. Since then he just wanted a place to himself. You would go there a lot between fights with your now-ex boyfriend.

Barry wordlessly got to work on bandaging up your hands. You watched calmly as he worked around his place, doing everything like a normal human. You gritted your teeth at your usage of "normal human", a slap-in-the-face reminder of what your boyfriend used to say to you when you didn't use your powers.

"Well look at you behaving like a 'normal human'."

"If I didn't know you I would have thought you were a 'normal human'."

"Stop (y/n). You can't be with 'normal humans' looking and acting like that."

You shook your head to stop yourself, you were making yourself angry. Barry was putting away the last bits of the medical supplies when he spied the scowl on your face and the way you chewed your lip like you usually did when you were thinking about him. Barry instinctively grabbed your hands, making sure to be extra gentle.

"Hey, how about you go ahead and shower then change into something a bit more comfortable. But be sure to stay in my bedroom until I say, ok?" His voice dropped to a whisper at the end as he leaned down a bit to look up into your face as you slouched.

You glanced up at you and just faintly lifted a corner of your mouth and nodded. Barry smiled at the small reaction and nodded successfully. He kissed the back of your hand kindly like he always did and sent you to his room where you locked yourself in so you could shower and change.

You noticed the sound of moving furniture and the sound of popping popcorn but you ignored it as you pulled out your favorite shirt and sweatpants of his and taking them into the bathroom with you. You looked in the mirror as you took off your workout clothes, cringing at the scars that littered your body. Thankfully he never saw them despite how close he wanted to get. You didn't want to have to explain that they were self-inflicted and not entirely your fault. You shook your head. Yeah, good think he never saw them, but if only you were smart early on and had not shown him your true self before he showed his true colors.

You blinked to clear your head and started your shower. Meanwhile, Barry stood outside his door to listen for the running water. Once it flipped on he got busy making you the best fort he could out of the limited supplies he had. He already had your favorite kind of popcorn popping and knew exactly what kind of movies you would love to watch. After a few minutes, Barry stepped back to assess his handiwork. Satisfied, he moved to stand by his door.

He lifts a hand to knock but you beat him to it, calling out quietly from the other side. "You done building all of Ikea out there?"

Barry smirked at your hint of humor. "You done using all my hot water?"

You opened the door to Barry leaning against the door frame, folding his arms and smiling. You could have sworn he lit up a little more when you looked up at him dressed in this clothes, your hair still a bit damp. You couldn't help the blush that crept up your neck and over your cheeks as you brushed some hair behind your ear.

"Well, what do you expect from a...thing like me." You nervously stated.

Barry pushed off the wall and held out his hand. "A beautiful think like you. Now come one, we have a movie night," he looked at the window, "day. Movie day-night with your name on it."

You looked at your hands held in his. "All day? Right now?" You looked up at him in awe. "All because I'm heartbroken and pathetic?" You laugh nervously.

Barry rolled his eyes as he showed you the tent. "Mmm, yes. And weak, and weird, and loud and-"

You cut him off with a smack on the arm. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." You then notice the tent. "Oh wow. So you were building all of Ikea," you mumbled under your breath. You turned to Barry, finally letting a smile pull at you lips. "It looks great."

Barry smiled, wrapping an arm around you to pull you close. "Sweet! Now let me get the popcorn and drinks. Get yourself settled inside. I'll meet you in there." He winks at you and smiles, raising your hand to kiss it lightly.

You smiled back, nodding your head. You crawl under one of the drooped blankets and smiled wide at what you saw inside. Pillows and blankets lined the floor and sides with little fairie-lights that draped around her on the floor and the blanket ceiling. You noticed two distinct spots for you and Barry to sit facing a little TV set up.

The rustling of blankets alerted you of Barry's presence but it startled you. Searing pain poked you all over your body as you started to turn into your true form.

"Barry! You might want to leave." You closed your eyes tight as you tried to keep your breathing leveled, but it wasn't working.

"Not a chance. I'm moving closer." You hear him do just that, flinching slightly as you feel him pull you to him.

"Barry I am going to hurt you. My scales. My talons." You whimpered into his chest. Thank heavens his clothes were large on you, you didn't shred them up.

Barry didn't mind, he would heal later. "Shh, don't worry. Just relax." He kissed the top of your head. "I'm so sorry I startled you," he whispered into your hair as he felt your skin soften and your breathing return to normal.

You pulled away and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little on edge since...him." You visibly shuttered.

Barry shook his head and helped get the both of you comfortable; you leaning into his side as he wrapped and arm around you, his fingers running up and down your arm in soothing patterns. He grabbed a stack of movies after he moved the bowl of popcorn between the two of you and showed them to you.

"Pick your poison, we have all day and night mind you."

You looked at the stack and closed your eyes, reaching a hand out and pointing at one. "That one." You peeked and it just so happened to be your favorite movie.

Barry smiled. "Sounds good to me."

You watched as he set it up, settling back next to him, resting a hand on his chest. You look up at him, moving your hand to stroke his cheek. "Thank you," you whispered as you heard the movie start, "I am just trying to figure out what I did to deserve you in my life."

Barry adjusted his position so he was looking right at you. "You didn't need to do anything. You were just you." He leaned in closer, his eyes flickering to your lips.

"But I'm kind of a monster." You whispered back.

Barry moved a hair from your face, stroking your cheek with his thumb. "Then I'm just as much of a monster as you. Listen, your reptile ability has its pros and cons, just don't focus on the bad. Focus on the good." He leaned down and kissed your nose lightly. "Focus on me if you need to, just don't let your ex-boyfriend rule your life when he;s not even here."

Tears threatened to fall but to keep Barry from seeing, you buried your face in his chest, wrapping your legs with his in hopes of feeling better. Barry smirked, grabbing a blanket and it draped over the two of you.

After the second movie, you couldn't keep your eyes open any longer. You sat up and stretched. Barry watched you with amusement, loving the little face you made. You turn back to him and ran your hand through your hair.

"Think I'm going to crash in our room. All this crying is making me tired."

"Crash right here. I'll help you in case you get a night terror like last time." You nod as you look at the ground at what Barry said. "Plus, it's a lot warmer with you here."

You look up and send him a small smile. "Alright. Just the moment you start snoring I am out of here." You laugh lightly.

"Hey! I don't snore!"

You give him a look.

Barry smiled wide, his brows raising high and his face lighting up. "Ok, I may breathe loudly from time to time. Now come here."

He opened his arms wide and you nestled in perfectly. You looked up to thank him again but you were met with his lips on yours, his arms pulling you closer as if it were possible. You paused a moment so your brain could catch up with your heart. Your arms wrapped around him as you welcomingly kissed him back.

You started to feel your back spikes start to come in but Barry pulled away, kissing your nose. He pulled you to him as he gently rubbed circles on your back, whispering sweet and funny words, the movie forgotten in the background. Barry kissed your cheek as you started to drift off in the warm embrace of the man you knew loved you for you.

mmm I feel like that wasn't my best but it's something right? Sorry for being so MIA, but I'm back now and updating a story every day. Check out my other works and what not. Thanks again for all the attention and love!