Hi, this is my first fanfiction for The Flash - fandom and I hope you'll enjoy it!

I am trying to overcome my writer's block with this (and also, English is not my mother tongue, so there might be some grammatical errors or the like *sorry*), so reviews and constructive criticism are very welcome! :)

A Not-So-Ordinary Evening

It was already past 1 a.m. when Barry could finally race back home to Iris' and his apartment. It really had been a crazy night.

The evening had started out simple, with Netflix and a nice dinner for just the two of them (although the amount of food would have suggested otherwise, thanks to Barry's insane metabolism). Unfortunately, a kidnapping had called the Flash to duty. Usually, Iris would have gone to work to report on the incident, but Mason had insisted (more like ordered) that she should take the night off to spend it with her boyfriend (and for Mason to work alone and get rid of his "cub", Iris suspected). So, ironically, staying in to be with her boyfriend got her less time with her boyfriend than working would have.

Barry had assured her that he would be back "in a flash" (Iris could barely suppress the groan that was about to escape her lips at that horrible pun) and had taken off.

As it turned out, the kidnapping had only been the start of a terribly hectic night. The Rogues had banded together in order to take down Central City's hero and planned on defeating him by using a pretty clever tactic: wearing the Flash down little by little. Carefully timed crimes all around Central City kept Barry up and running (literally) for multiple hours and without the help of Cisco and Caitlin (and Cisco's protein bars), the Rogues' villainous plan might've worked out.

But luckily, after four tedious hours, the bad guys were taken care of and Barry could finally return home. He found Iris slumbering on the couch, cocooned in a blanket, with the radio quietly running local news in the background. Barry knew right there and then that there was nothing greater than seeing the love of his life bundled up on their sofa, the gentle waves of her dark hair framing her beautiful, peaceful face, especially after an exhausting night of chasing crazy villains.

And while he occasionally wished that their lives could be simpler, Barry found that moments like these made everything totally worth it.

Fotrunately for him, Barry did no longer have to hide the massive amount of feels he experienced whenever Iris's mere existence put him into a state of complete awe.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, taking in the scene before him,"I don't think you realize how utterly and completely beautiful you are."

Iris stirred a little in her sleep, burying herself deeper into that blanket-burrito she had wrapped herself in while waiting for him to come home.

He continued in an even softer voice: "And I'm not only talking about your looks – even though you are drop-dead gorgeous – but about your personality, too. You are the gentlest, kindest, funniest, strongest and cleverest person I know. You are also the most headstrong person I know – but in the best way possible, I swear." A smile was playing on his lips now, his long, slender fingers carefully brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

"And although your brownie-obsession is a little concerning at times," his soft smile turned into a full-fledged grin just by thinking about all the time that had gone into the search for the perfect brownie recipe and the crazy baking sessions it had entailed, "I wouldn't change a single thing about you – because you're perfectly perfect."

Iris opened up here eyes just enough for him to see her rolling them at his cheesy confession: "Just carry me to bed, you big sap."

His only response was to smile fondly at her comment and comply. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent that was so uncompromisingly and uniquely him, the heat radiating from his body seeping into her very bones.

Engulfed in his smell and warmth that felt more like home than the apartment they were living in, she was about to fall asleep again, but not before whispering:

"I love you, too, Bear."

Fin