Z E R O  G R A V I T Y
↳ T a c o s

"Yep, that's right. ¡Andale!"
⚡⚡⚡

-C O R Y-

"I passed out again?" Allen rasped from his spot on the gurney.

Somehow, someway, we always end up back on that thing. It's safe to say I've spent more hours sleeping on the gurney than my own bed.

"Tch, I'd sure say so." I grimaced at the babying behavior Caitlin and Cisco where giving Allen while I sat slumped to a chair with an ice pack over my stomach. Beneath his scrawny frame, he's a lot heavier than he looks.

"Total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia." Cait explained in a way that required you to use your brain. I'm all in for intellectual conversations but it's too early In the day and I haven't had my daily dose of oreos yet.

"I'm not eating enough." Allen stated the simpleton's way of Catlin's comment. "So an I.V bag and I'm good to go." Cisco scoffed at his friend's lack of knowledge and turned him around to point out the amount of I.V bags strung up beside him.

"Try forty. Guess you were thirsty." Wells inquired and took a sip of coffee from his thermos.

"You would know..."

My suggestive smack didn't go unheard by the ears in this room. So when I need people to listen to what I have to say, they pretend I'm not here? I don't know if it's because I can't whisper or everyone else's selective hearing is great enough to compete with a hound but this is an issue that needs to be solved.

"You see, this is exactly why you're not in my will any more."

"I can't tell if you're being serious or not." I mean since the explosion, Wells has been  nothing but serious, but he has times when he's known for his poker face that you also gotta account for. There's a reason why he doesn't have a 'Best Boss!' mug.

Either way, I have to lighten up on the jokes. He's an rich old man who can be a victim to unfortunate accidents-have you seen him lately-and I need to be on his good side before he kicks the bucket.

"We're gonna have to put you on the same diet we have Cory doing to fashion your metabolic changes." Caitlin took one of the bars from the mini fridge in the corner and handed it to Allen.

My eyes widened in terror at the sight. Allen only managed to peel the wrapper before I smacked it out of his hand. "No!"

"But-"

"I just saved you from a near death experience. I'm gonna need you to show a little more gratitude." In his eyes, you could see Allen recalling my hunched figure vomiting my intestines into the trash from this morning. He gaped for a second until he helpessly nodded in agreement and silent thanks.

"Hey, if you don't want to do that, I've done a few calculations. You'd need to consume an equal amount to roughly eight hundred and fifty t-tacos." Cisco chocked. I was at his side in an instant to offer a soothing hand on his shoulder that'll hopefully keep him calm before the water works make a surprise appearance.

"hey, hey it's okay now. He's in a better place..." I cooed. Last time I ever had to comfort someone like this is when Ellie and I were younger. We had our first pet which was a little pug and someone was so excited they'd over feed it. That dog didn't last a week. Ellie wailed for three days straight- I shed a few tears here and there-Until we watched the movie All Dogs Go to Heaven.

I don't think there's a movie that'll help Cisco and his predicament. That Disney film, Bolt, maybe? I mean-it has a hamster in it.

"You're right-yeah. But if you're talking cheese and guac that's a whole other set of equations."
Cisco's voiced cracked by the end of his sentence and waddled off to the paper he messily scribbled numbers and letters across. The same paper that's now dampened with a couple stray tears.

He's acting a lot more sensitive than usual.

"For Mexican, I recommend Tito's on Bruckner Avenue," A new voice boomed aloud. At the doorway stood a man in suit and tie. The flash of the badge tucked in his waistband reflected in the light. "Best burritos in the city."

Cisco tried to contain his sniffles, causing the man to glance our way in confusion as to why a grown man was getting teary-eyed over the subject of Mexican food.

That's when realization hit me like a brick to the head.

"Detective West, what brings you to S.T.A.R Labs?" Wells said.

So this random stranger isn't so random much less a stranger?

"When I couldn't find you at your lab, I started to do a little research," The Detective pointed at Allen specifically.

"Turns out there's been reports of a red and black streak around the city." The Detective's gaze gave subtle shifts towards me while I did my best to hide my face by acting as if the floor is the most interesting thing I've ever seen.
"Stopping muggers, Rescuing people from burning buildings. "

"You didn't tell him we were working together?"

Allen shook his head, having trouble getting an answer out so he just left it at that. Turning back to Detective West, Allen sighed deeply. "Joe I can explain."

"You already have a job in Law-enforcement, Barry, I suggest you get back to it."

Caitlin hummed in agreement, catching Joe's attention. "Don't look at me, I'm on your side."

"Caitlin, nows not the time to inflate your ego."

Wells cleared his throat. "Detective, we all wants what's best for Barry."

"If you wanted what was best for Barry, you'd talk him out of this-and her too, Instead of encouraging them to go out there and risking their lives." Oh no, now I'm included. "Didn't you say she was dead?" Joe's eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

"Only on the inside." I said to which everyone besides the detective groaned in reply. "What that counts too, right?"

"You saw a man control the weather. What are the police gonna do against someone like that?" Allen and I saw the detective's face contort into one of defeat as he realized what Allen said is true. What would the police do if they encountered a meta human? There'll be a good amount who will have the upper hand against the odds guns have.

"Since the particle accelerator explosion, we suspect there may be more like him. Like us."

I'd really appreciate it if the both of them would stop trying to involve me in this conversation. Unless they'd rather hear a plethora of bad jokes and good insults, I don't think I'll make a great contribution.

"And you guys are gonna do what? Catch them?" Joe firmly crossed his arms with a vexed expression. "Are you insane? You think because you can run real fast and you can fly that you're invincible?"

Wait he's seen me use my powers? That night at the farm the only person beside Allen and Mardon to see me use the was the cop who came running down hill. But I was too busy bleeding because they shot me.

Holy crap, he's the one who shot me!

I kept my mouth shut as I saw the look he gave that clearly said 'try me'. This isn't even my parent and I'm still getting lectured.

"You're not. You're just a kid. My kid."

"I'm not your kid, Joe. And you're not my father." Those words cut through the air with the precision of a knife, sounding a lot more harsher than I believe Allen meant for it to be.

Joe's expression dropped, and I feel like my being here is an intrusion since this subject obviously took a personal turn.

"My father is sitting in Iron Heights. Wrongfully convicted. You were wrong about him and you're wrong about this. Now I may not be able to help him but if I can save someone from a burning building or stop some armed thieves then I'm gonna do it. And you can't stop me. So don't try."

The tears built up in Joe's eyes as he kept a steady gaze on Allen, seeming as if he couldn't comprehend half the things coming out of his mouth.

That makes the two of us.

"You think you're so smart," My ears picked up the underlining pain in his voice. "-all of you. But you don't know what you don't know. And I hope that you're clever enough to figure it out before somebody gets themselves killed."  His tone directed to everyone who stood helplessly  watching the heated argument in the sidelines.

Afterwards, Joe left, leaving the rest of us to simmer in the suffocating atmosphere filled to the brim with guilt and tension.

"Really?" For the first time in a while, I faced Allen with a straight face voided of my naturally funny aura.

"What?"

"I may not know him but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you mean something to him."

"Aren't you a rocket scientist?"

"That's not the point." I huffed in annoyance. He's doing it again, avoiding the problem by acting dumb and asking questions. "Point is, don't be so harsh on the guy. Yeah I still think you should pursue what we have going on here, but look at things from his perspective. He's worried about you, Barry. You just gotta show him there's nothing to worry about."

Wells crossed his arms and Cisco stared at me in amazement as I walked to Caitlin's side. I've been sentimental about certain subjects before I just don't like it. I'm sure everyone's noticed I don't handle serious situations well, but the. way Allen treated that man-whoever he is was not okay. And if no one else is gonna be the big guy to point that out to him in case they might hurt his fragile feelings-than I will.

"Don't take what you have now for granted. At least you still have someone that cares."

And with that I grabbed Caitlin's keys from the counter. "Let's go."

She blinked at me and furrowed her brows.
"What? Where?"

"To Tito."

"I feel like I might regret asking this but...why?"

I leaned closer to whisper. "It's Tuesday."
Caitlin stood in the same position, no clarification dotting across her face. "Taco fiesta Tuesday."

That rang all her bells. Before I realized it, she was scampering past me, through the doorway, and down the hall to meet me at her car in the parking lot.

"Yep, that's right. ¡Andale!"

[Unedited]

A little shorter than usual but bare with me here and Woah there. Cory can actually keep a straight face for more than twenty seconds? Who would've guessed.

If you liked this chapter then don't forget to comment, vote, and all that jazz because I really do appreciate it

✌️