Chapter 1
Barry Allen was having the worst week ever. It was like the gods hated him. Early this week, he had to deal with a meta who was able to make someone tell nothing but the truth, no work around it. You can’t try and phrase it differently or use different words, if someone asks you something you can only answer honestly.
What’s worse is that he wasn’t even hit as the Flash but as Barry Allen. Barry has already admitted to Caitlin, Cisco, Joe and Iris that he was gay and only pretended to be in love with Iris because it was easier than to get his heart crushed if they didn’t accept him while being in love with someone else.
Caitlin, Cisco and Joe were shocked and surprised, nothing gave them a clue Barry wasn’t straight but they supported him. Iris, though, stormed out, angry and hurt and has now been trying to get Barry to tell her who he was in love with.
The only good thing was Barry had the next 2 days off, hoping they would find a cure. Good thing is they did find out how to break the curse. Bad thing is Barry would rather die than do it. You have to find the person your secret affects and tell them the truth, and Barry couldn’t do that. At all.
Now his 2 days off was over and he walked into the station with Joe at his side, “I have already informed the Captain and he told everyone else. No one is to ask you anything that isn’t to do with work.” Joe reassured his son seeing how his shoulders tensed. He hated that he couldn’t help his son more but there wasn’t anything he could do except convince him to tell the person his secret.
“Thanks Joe.” Barry smiled ignoring the looks he was getting from some of the detectives. He didn’t want to see their pity.
Barry spent most of the day in his lab, only leaving for Flash business. The detectives who came in for their files smiled at him but didn’t try to talk to him knowing he wasn’t in the mood to say anything.
At the end of the day, Barry packed up and made his way downstairs to Joe. “Hey Barr.” Joe smiled, packing up for the day, “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.” Barry nodded, he still had to go out as the Flash, but after that he just wanted to go home and sleep until Caitlin could figure out another way to break this stupid curse. He knew the easy way would be to just tell his secret but he couldn’t.
“BARRY!”
Barry groaned, tilting his head towards the ceiling as everyone looked at Iris who was storming over to the CSI. David Singh stepped out of his office. Joe stepped in front of Barry, stopping his daughter from getting close to the speedster “Iris you can not be here.” Joe told his daughter.
Iris shrugged off her dad’s hand and looked at Barry who looked for an escaped “Barry we need to talk right now.”
“I don’t want to talk to you.” Barry told her. Some detective brows raised, surprised that Allen wasn’t jumping at the chance to talk to Iris. Iris glared at Barry, trying to step around her dad only for Joe to follow, keeping her away from him.
“Too bad. Why did you hide the fact that you’re gay from everyone!”
The station went dead silent as everyone turned to the CSI. Some flinched back, as the angry look in Barry’s eyes. They have never seen him that made before, the type of made that turned your eyes into cold hard stone.
“IRIS!” Joe yelled.
“What the hell, Iris!” Barry yelled, “You knew I didn’t want anyone to know!”
Iris shrugged, not caring for the disgusted looks she was being given. “Why? Because you know you shouldn’t love a man?” She sneered.
Joe looked at his daughter in disbelief. How could she say that? He didn’t raise her to be homophobic, or is she just mad Barry didn’t love her?
It really didn’t matter to Joe at that moment because all he could see was the hurt on his son’s face, and the sneer on his daughters and knew nothing will be the same after today.
“Loving a man is better than loving you.” Barry told her.
Iris took a step back, hurt and anger flashing in her eyes. The officers looked around not knowing what to say or do.
Joe shook his head grabbing his daughter’s arm, “You need to leave, now.” He pulled her away but Iris dug her feet, fighting against her dad.
“No! He’s going to tell me who he loves!” Iris yelled at her dad.
“He doesn’t have to tell you anything.” Joe tried to pull Iris away but she fought harder against him.
“Caitlin said if Barry tells the person his secret affects most , the curse will break!” Iris broke free of Joe’s hold turning to Barry. “Who are you in love with!”
“NO!” The officer shouted.
A detective, Joe’s new partner and Barry’s friend, Evie Payton lunged forward, covering Barry’s mouth as he automatically opened to answer.
“IRIS!” Joe grabbed her pushing her towards two officers “Get her out of here!”
The officers dragged her towards the elevator as Joe hurried over to Barry, his heart breaking when he saw the fear in his eyes.
Barry didn’t dare look at anyone else in the room, one hand holding Evie free one, the other clenching his bag strap, eyes locked on Joe’s. He could feel the lighting under his skin, humming in soothing tones but it didn’t calm Barry down at all.
“Barry,” Joe walked towards his son. “Can you hold it back long enough to get you out of here if Evie let’s go?”
Barry shook his head. His eyes felt wet and his throat tightened, a lump forming.
Evie looked at her partner “What do we do?” She asked, glancing at Barry. It hurt her to see the fear in Barry’s eyes. Evie might have only started 4 months ago, she became close to both her partner and Barry and knew Barry wasn’t ready to come out.
Did she know Barry was gay? No. Did she suspect it? Yes. Did she say anything? No way. It wasn’t her place to ask Barry if he was gay, and it wasn’t her place to tell anyone else.
“Joe!”
Joe looked at Singh, as he opened the office door “Take him in my office.” David told the group.
Joe looked at Barry, “You want me with you?” He asked softly. Evie was going to know, she had to because she couldn’t remove her hand without Barry blurting the name of the person he loves out. If Barry told Joe he didn’t want him in the office, if he didn’t want him knowing the person he loves, Joe wouldn’t hold it against him.
Barry nodded, letting go of Evie’s hand and grabbing Joe’s.
“Come on.”
The officers and detectives moved out the way, letting the three pass without a word. Some looked at Allen in pity, while others looked murderous. Not towards Barry, never towards Barry, but towards Iris who put Barry in this position.
David and Barry locked eyes as Barry passed. David felt his heart skip a beat, and his stomach flip, before looking away, shutting the office door.
Joe shut the blinds, no one needed to see this.
Barry took a few deep breaths, trying to gather the courage to say the name. Joe was in front of him, holding him by the shoulders.
“Ready?” Evie’s soft, comforting voice was in his ears.
Barry nodded, closing his eyes. Evie looked at Joe, who nodded once. Evie took a moment to gather herself, before removing her hand.
The name slipped past Barry’s lips before he could even think about it. The name burned his throat, it felt like poison on his tongue, the name he kept hidden since he met the man. The full name he never dared let pass his lips if fear someone would hear the fondness in which he said the name.
Now it was being ripped out of him, and he could do nothing to stop it. Nothing could stop his father hearing the name of the man he was so deeply in love with. Nothing could stop his new friend from realizing who it was he talked about when they were having a long night in the lab.
“David Singh.”
Joe and Evie froze for a second, just enough time for Barry to escape. He pulled out Joe and Evie’s hold, rushing towards the door.
The detectives were startled as Singh’s office door was thrown open and Barry ran out, faster than anyone else had seen him run.
“Barry!” Joe yelled coming out of his shock. “Barry, wait!” Joe grabbed his jacket, running after his son, as Evie stood in Singh’s doorway, surprise and disbelief shining in her eyes.
“Payton.”
Evie’s head snapped towards Singh.
David frowned, looking concerned, “Are you okay?” He asked worriedly.
Evie slowly nodded, staring at him wide eyed. “Yeah.” She told him. “I’m good.” She was in fact not good. Her friend is in love with their boss. Their boss who Evie knows like him back, if the looks Singh gives Barry when he thinks no one is looking, are anything to go on.
