“It’s too bad Jesse wasn’t here; I think she would have liked it.”

“She’s still upset with Harry, HR.”

HR did a half shrug, side-glancing at you as he took your hand in his, “She missed all the failed igloos and speedy snow angels, the laughs and arguments we all ended up having on who cheated or not.”

“She’s busy on her Earth being the Flash, though. That must be taking priority over everything else.”

“I know,” he sighed, taking your hand into his. You felt how frigid they were through the knitted gloves you had given him. His eyes met yours are the two of you walked, the chilly air piercing the layers you have on. The novelist hoped that his doppelgangers daughter has been taking care of herself as she takes care of her city. “Harry shouldn’t have avoided her and the issue between them though, that’ll only create a greater rift between them. I know he’s not good with emotions, but… Something doesn’t feel right, like… it just doesn’t add up.”

You only offered the novelist a half-shrug, not really knowing what to say. “I think they’ll end up talking it out, whatever it is that happened between them. They’ll eventually get through it together.” You unlocked the door to your apartment and pushed it open. The door creaked nastily from its hinges; you’ve been meaning to fix that. “Now, let’s first get you inside and thawed out, I’m pretty sure I have some cold sludge stuck down the back of my shirt.”

The two of you entered your cozy apartment, kicking off any spare snow remnant that had clung onto your boots and clothes. Both you and HR left your boots by the door. A shiver ran down your spine, the ice-water mix shifted in your shirt as you moved uncomfortably through your home. You attempted to not track any water on the hardwood floors, eagerly locating some dry towels while HR brought a laundry basket from one of the rooms. The taller man returned with one as you handed him a fluffy towel. You and HR stripped off the winter-y layers of clothes, placing them into the basket. Your long-sleeve shirt clung to your skin, the cool damp cloth making you a bit antsy to get out of it. The Earth-19 being took the basket to throw in the washer, adding in the appropriate amount of detergent and softener. He whistled throughout completing his task, towel around his neck. HR started drying his hair off as he walked back to the living room.

You turned on the weather channel, overhearing Iris mention something about a serious storm going to hit. Flipping through the channels, you finally landed on the Central City News station and just in time for the weather spokesperson to come on screen. The woman fully articulated the severity the storm could cause as well as how many inches of snow to expect with an estimated time. HR’s ears had perked up, eyeing you from behind the couch as you watched the news. You ran a hand through your damp-ish hair before deciding to set it in a towel turban. Well, it’s a good thing I went grocery shopping yesterday. I should still have the portable heater that Cisco made just in case. The candles and matches should be in a spare drawer somewhere.

You glanced over your shoulder to see HR with chaotically messy hair and the collar of his shirt soaked. You nibbled on your bottom lip while setting down the TV remote. “Hey, um… HR do you want to stay over the night? There’s a winter storm coming and stuff,” You sheepishly wrung your fingers for wanting to ask him to stay the night when you knew he probably had an upcoming deadline to meet. Am I being selfish? I’m mean… we’ve been together for almost a little bit over a year now. Gah, fuck, I’m overthinking again. Stupid past relationship trauma and emotional distress. You just didn’t want to inconvenience him.

You will never deny how safe you felt around him, how you didn’t need to be careful of how to act. You can be you. And HR can be the dorkily cute novelist that he is with no filter in regard to his ideas and thoughts and expressions. The two of you complimented each other, two wounded souls just fixing and adoring each other. It took a couple of weeks for you to open up about your past relationships to the novelist, which he listened with understanding and concern taking hold in his eyes. He had done the same thing you had done. HR had proposed to ask three questions and you would need to answer fully and honestly with the reward in return. A reward of something you had long forgotten because having HR understand your past like you had done with him caused your heart to swell to a grand scale.

HR’s gaze softened at you, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “I don’t mind staying the night.” It’s so much better than sharing space with one grumpy scientist back at the labs who’ll probably hurl objects at me if I do anything out of line in his eyes. He saw that bit of insecurity eating at you, and he would do all he can to brush it away. Your insecurities had lessened over time, but every now and then it pops back up. But it’s understandable, you were trying your best to be a good and considerate girlfriend.

HR’s heart melted when you perked up, a bright smile crossing your face as if your sullen thoughts had washed away in an instant. “That means we can even make s’mores tonight!”

“How-“

“-I bought this handy dandy electric s’mores maker-”

“-Birdy, we’ve talked about this. You can’t buy every single thing from Amazon.”

“But… but the s’mores.”

“Do I need to take your debit card from you?” HR joked at the pout you had given him, the both of you knowing he would actually do no such thing. But he worried of these little impulse buys you get yourself into. Especially when prompted by Cisco, Iris, and Caitlin.

“I will fucking fight you.”

“No, you won’t.”

“You’re right, I love you too much.”

“Was it really necessary though?”

“… Yes, the state of my survival depends on it.”

“Liar,” HR sighed to himself. “I’m guessing Cisco and Iris happened to be browsing through Amazon again when they got bored? And you happened to be with them? Browsing from page to page, especially the bargains section.”

“… Maybe~”

“…”

“Don’t worry, I made sure I paid my rent and taken care of the apartment before deciding to buy the s’mores maker.”

“Good.”

“Plus, I really bought it for you.” HR felt the tips of his ears warm a bit. “You said it was one of the things you used to make with your mom, but now you just don’t have the time to camp or be by a fire to make them. So… I got this for when you’d come over and stuff…”

“How did I ever get so lucky to have someone as precious as you in my life, my little birdy?”

Your giggle allowed his heart to jump through hoops. Hail started pounding on the windows of your apartment catching both your attentions. “We should probably go wash up. I think I still have some clothes you left when you slept over a few times.” An idea lit up brilliantly in your mind, your brain already gathering the necessary materials.

A smile graced HR’s face, feeling his heart flutter as you shuffled to gather his clothes. I would do anything for you. The taller man looked out the window, observing the outside world ravaging in the heaviness of white fluff. The power might go out soon. If we’re lucky, then it doesn’t. But mother nature doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. “Which drawer are they in?” He questioned, padding off to your bedroom but throwing a glance at you.

“I think they might be in the top left drawer,” you lied to him, needing to buy some time. “I’m not really sure. But if not, you’ll have to look around for them in my closet or something.”

You hurried to the bathroom once he was out of sight, stepping closer to the closet. Twisting the handle, you were greeted with towels on one shelf and scented candles on another. Now, what to choose. You opted for the scents of Balsam-Cedar and Autumn Leaves from Yankee Candle. Scattering the small candle containers around the tub, you made sure they were positioned in a place to avoid any fires. This is going to look simply divine. You mused a cheery hum from your lips as you worked fast. The electric lighter was in a drawer along with the bath bombs for relaxation. You contemplated whether the tiny flower petals were a bit overkill, then figured that it would be. I’m extra as fuck anyway, so why the hell not. You pulled out the mason jar filled with pastel pink-blue hydrangea and hibiscus petals. With everything set up, you just had to fill up the tub with water and work your magic. Shutting off the bathroom lights, you shuffled over to your room right as HR let out an ‘aha!’ when he found his checkered cotton pajama bottoms.

“Come take a bath with me,” you started, taking his hand and squeezing it meaningfully with jubilant warmth within your eyes. “We can warm up faster in less time before the storm cuts out the power.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to…” He trailed off; his other arm held his clothes to his chest. You knew what he meant and nodded assumingly. An ex many years ago had tried to drown you once, but… Your ex isn’t HR. The man in front of you is considerate, kind, dorky, and quirky. The man in front of you is more wholesome and beautiful inside and out than any other man you had been with. You knew the novelist would never dream of hurting you. We’ve proven that much to each other in the past year, we wouldn’t hurt each other no matter what.

“I trust you, HR.” You leaned up and kissed his nose gingerly, “You know I feel safer around you.”

“And I, you,” the taller man allowed you to tug him to the bathroom once you had pulled out your own pajamas and undergarments.

“Before we go inside, I’m going to need to you wait out here for a few moments.”

“Interesting. What are you planning, little birdy?”

“Who? Lil ol’ me? Nothing really!” You responded with a cheeky grin before entering the bathroom. HR just kept that boyish smirk on his face then sneezed. God, he loves you, but he needed to get out of these clothes soon. Another sneeze left him when the sound of water graced the silence in the apartment. The hail had stopped, but heavier clumps of packing snow fell onto the city.

“Done~” you mused with childish delight, opening the bathroom door and ushering him inside. HR held his breath as the scents of the forest greeted him. The candles were beautifully lit around the tub, flickering and wavering as it cradled the bathroom with a dim glow. The bathroom lights were off to allow the candles to work their magic in the darkness. Neither of you would deny the warmth the candles brought as the flames danced happily in their respective glass communities. Scents of cedar oak, maple trees, and autumn leaves flourished in the air, but it wasn’t overbearing. The running water moved gently as you had begun to strip down and out of your clothes. Your movements shook HR out of his trance, tugging his own clothes off, but stopped short of shrugging his pants off when he saw all of you. Your eyes caught his intense gaze. A tight knot formed in the pit of your stomach.

“HR?”

“You’re…” He couldn’t find the right words. Any word couldn’t justify the beauty in front of him. “You’re elegantly divine.” Is what he settled for as he felt hot oil splash onto his cheeks.

“It’s not something you haven’t seen before.”

“It’s something that I hope I don’t have the misfortune to never see.”

You screamed on the inside as your mind started spinning at his desire. A smug grin grew on his face as you looked away, stumbling over to a jar on the sink counter. HR fully stripped, coming up behind you with his arms encasing you and strong hands resting on your hips as he watched. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. You leaned back into him, dropping a good two handfuls of flower petals into the water. His body, while chilled from your earlier winter-y activities still provided your own with a spectacle of warmth. Goosebumps gradually ran over every in of your skin. The taller man watched you with tired eyes.

“You know you’re going to have to let me go so we can wash up, right?”

HR pouted, to which you leaned up on your tippy toes to try to kiss his pout away. “Fine, but I think we both deserve some time to cuddle.”

“I was going to trap you in bed, regardless.”

A quiet laugh left his lips. Breaking away from his sturdy limbs and wonderfully sculpted body, you rifled through a drawer for a bath bomb. Milk and Honey~ Unwrapping it and disposing of its bindings into the trash, you set it down into the water as it instantly fizzed.

“Wait, you like bath bombs?” HR questioned with an arched eyebrow.

“Yeah, but only the organically made ones- that way it doesn’t irritate my skin.” You shut off the hot water and pulled out the necessary towels for the both of you.  “Also, they smell phenomenal!”

“They do.”

“What’s wrong?”

“One year on this Earth and I hadn’t even noticed that you had bath bombs too. Do yours also release an underwater firecracker?”

“An underwater firecracker??”

“Yeah, little ocean sparks underwater that also stimulate the water to move like the waves as if pulled from the effects of the moon.”

You just stared down at the slowly fizzing bath bomb in disappoint. “Why don’t you do that? Rude.” The novelist craned his head down to kiss your cheek with a snicker at your evident disappointment.

You stuck one foot in, the warmth enticing you as a hum left your lips before going all in. A wave of relief washed over your muscles as a tired groan left your lips while shutting your eyes. Leaning back, your skin touched the cool marble of the tub as the water drifted in multiple directions. The water rose to just above the top of your cleavage. HR had followed suit once you fully entered, sitting across from you with his legs crossed. A sigh had left him as he felt the tension in his body break away, the scents also helping him ease into relaxation. After a moment he pulled you in between his legs and you humored him because his were so long that they needed the space. Your eyes finally adjusted to the brightness set by the candles from your position.

You eyed the scar on his chest, teeth raking over your bottom lip. The one where Savitar had left his mark. Those thoughts came back. Your throat dried instantly. Swallowing thickly, your mouth moved on its own accord. “I almost lost you.” HR froze as he leaned his broad back against the tub, an arm on the rim of the cool marble. You reached out a hand to trace over the scarred skin. The closer you had gotten- the more you looked at his upper body- was the more you mentally berated yourself under the soft glow of the candlelight. Scared paths and crossroads of tinged undertones on his skin, some faint- others dark and deep. A few were clean and a few others were messy. Even the scar, perfectly hidden by his left eyebrow seemed to be clearer to your eyes now. Your heart sank in your chest, frustration and anger and hurt welling up inside you at the pain HR must have endured over the years. But mostly, anger and hatred towards yourself. How have I been so blind? How many times have my eyes overlooked these? How pathetic and ignorant have I become? HR shivered under your touch, under your gaze over the ugly reminders on his body. “We’ve been together for a year,” you started, “a little bit over a year- and I’m a damned fool for never truly seeing how hurt you’ve been.”

“I…” The words died in HR’s mouth. The sullen look in your glassy eyes, the pained expression on your face. His heart felt heavy, yet it oddly thrummed loudly in his chest. The warmth of the water didn’t help how you were feeling.

“And for that, I’m sorry.”

“Just being by my side and seeing who I am- how I’m worth something, exceeds any grim reminder of my past.”

“But, I didn’t-”

HR took your hand and intertwined your fingers together, “You’re the light of my life, you allowed me to forget my past and accepted me, all of me. I don’t hold it against you that you didn’t notice, we’ve been going through one hoop after another with these crazed villains. Hell, I forget the scars are even there when you’re with me… I feel whole when you’re with me.” The novelist strained emphasis on the last sentence. You felt the tears start to riot in your eyes before streaming down your face. HR gently cupped your face, wiping the tears away with a dry hand. “I’m happy that you overlooked them. I’m happy that I could shed them when I’m around you.”

You were silent for a few seconds. “I’m still mad at Iris,” you whispered with a sharp sniffle, your fingers finding the scar over his heart once more. “No, I’m pissed that she didn’t the willpower and guts to speak up when she had a chance. We… we could have prevented… both of you could have-”

“-We could have gone through a million different avenues, but the results would have led to the same road.”

“Wouldn’t it? You, at least, couldn’t have been hurt if we had done something differently.”

“Iris could have been hurt.”

“You were hurt!” You snapped as your voice wavered. “You were going to die, had it not been for Julian and Cisco and Barry. I… I can’t lose you. Every night, a dark thought slips into my mind. You could have died- You could have died right there when you were just starting to live a life of your own. All because of Barry and Iris.” Your cheeks felt wet and only then did you realize that the tears had pooled up and escaped. His gaze softened at you, nonetheless, the tears didn’t take away from any frustration that you had presented.

HR recognized the bitterness in your voice. The fiery anger within your eyes as you looked up at him with desperation. The same anger that he had long disciplined himself to distance from. Anger blinds all gates of logic within the mind. Because in a way, you were right. Iris could have easily said something when she was disguised as his persona. Instead the queen of the castle seemed reluctant in sacrificing herself, instead allowing the pawn to take the fall. HR had thrown it all away to save someone who didn’t really care to know him and treated him with disdain at first. All to prove to the others that he was worth being on their side. To prove to Savitar that he wasn’t a coward like the projected future had revealed. But most importantly, to prove to himself that he’s capable of more than just standing on the sidelines as backup. The anger and distraught and hate. HR worked tirelessly to move past them. You were his future now. You and the fact that in the end he seemed to earn his spot. Sadly, even at the expense of his own life. At the end of the day those were the cold, hard facts. Ones he willingly chooses to not give in to.

“But I’m here.” HR wrapped his long arms around you, pulling you closer to him. You choked back on a sob. Your anger waned at his gentle touch. “I’m here and I’m alive,” he let out roughly, letting you cry it all out as he rubbed your back soothingly. HR knew everything you had said had been true. And even if it did work out in the end, he didn’t want to imagine a reversal of the situation. If it had been you who had traded places with Iris instead of him. The novelist can only hope that the team wouldn’t have to put anyone else in a situation like that. That Barry and Iris wouldn’t have to play close to this dangerous game of chess again. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you sniffled, calming down with a stutter. You knew that anger blinds judgment. You didn’t hate Iris, but you resented her inability to save both her live and HR’s. HR wet his hands and cleared your face from any remnant of tears. kissing your eyelids sweetly.

“Interesting that you put hydrangeas and hibiscus petals.”

“How so? And how did you know?” you raised a questioning eyebrow at HR.

“The jar’s labeled.” You facepalmed at yourself. Of course, the jar’s fucking labeled, I’m such a dumbass. “But also, I studied the language of the flowers as well as the language of the colors for my writing.”

“So, what do hibiscus plants stand for?”

“From what I recall,” HR scratched the back of his neck in recollection, “they stand for love and affection between family members, friends, and others. A perfect statement of gentle feelings towards the others. It can even symbolize passionate relationships.” You had placed both hands on his shoulders as he spoke, mesmerized by his knowledge of the flower. He wiggled his eyebrows at his later statement, causing you to giggle with flushed cheeks.

“What about the hydrangeas?”

“Ironically, heartfelt emotions,” he kissed your cheek, rubbing the skin of your lower back as he continued. “Gratitude for being understood.”

“I would call it more of a fateful coincidence,” you mumbled, pressing your lips to his for a chaste kiss. But truthfully, he just wanted to roll around in bed with you and kiss you silly to his heart’s content… amongst other certainly heart-fluttering bedroom activities. When you pulled away, your eyes drifted over his figure. “Can- Can I ask you about them?”

Them. HR knew what you were referring too. That curiosity of yours is one day going to land you in trouble, birdy. HR mused to himself with a little noise of thought. He was well past the mental pain, taking up meditation and various things to acknowledge and push past it. But the idea of you feeling the need to know didn’t rub him the wrong way like it should have. Rather, it stirred something deep in his heart, a playful glint hidden in his eyes. “Depends on what’s in it for me, little birdy?”

You thought deeply for a minute and HR remained silent, running patterns over the skin of your arm. You felt warmth build up on your skin with every contact. “One night.”

“One night…?”

“One night, you can do anything to me- within reasonable bounds. You decide when the night can be.”

The Wells doppelganger immediately licked his lips and felt his blood rush at the notion. “Is that your final condition?” Because if it is, this big bad wolf’s going to make sure to devour his little red riding hood all night long. HR tilted your head back, a hooked finger under your chin as his lips skimmed over yours. There’s much planning that needs to be done.

“Y-yeah.”

“‘Yeah’ isn’t a word of confirmation.” Learned that one from a law buddy back on Earth-19.

“Yes,” you won’t deny the anticipation in your voice. The murky white waters retaliated with every movement from the two of you. “One question, one scar.”

“One question, one scar, one night.” The novelist smirked down at you, a cocky look on his face.

“Fair enough.” I essentially ordered one love romp of a night… I’m so fucked, literally and figuratively. I just hope I don’t have to come into the Labs the next day, neither of us.

HR watched you closely, grabbing the body wash as you decided with a focused look on what scar to choose. Your eyes roamed his body. You already knew of his mental scars, and he knew of yours. The novelist waited patiently as you quietly processed the image of them on his skin. Some scars on his body were from hitmen, bullies, or muggers- mainly during his young adult life or when he was creating STAR Labs with Randolph. That bastard probably sent some after me, wouldn’t be surprised since he knew I would be executed if I crossed dimensions. Bath sponge in hand, he lathered your body wash on the sponge with every intention that he would help wash you while he reiterated a scarred tale.

“What’s the story behind the one on your eyebrow?”

That one took HR by surprise; usually human nature would be intrigued with the most noticeable of things- big things. Instead, you pinpointed the one that was easily concealable in plain sight. Settling for the smaller scar in comparison to the others. The novelist took your arm, scrubbing your skin with lips pressed thinly. You opened your lips to ask if he’d rather you choose a different one, but HR cut you off in a matter of milliseconds.

“I got it back during my university years. I was an English Arts major,” he paused for a moment, switching to your other arm to give it the same treatment. “My father obviously didn’t approve, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to keep going with my literary studies, taking up photography in my spare time. One day, I was just walking through the city in the late evening. Dismal and dark, with fog everywhere.” HR rinsed off your arms, gesturing for you to turn around between his legs so he can start on your back. He plucked off the PanOxyl Foaming Wash bottle from beside a candle, using a different sponge specifically for the backwash. You had told him that sometimes you unfortunately get acne on your back and shoulders, so you use this backwash to keep it clean and acne-free. To your surprise he wasn’t revolted in any way, instead he admired your constant diligence with wanting to keep good hygiene, especially since so many factors can trigger different responses from the human body. You silently waited, listening intently as he continued. “I heard whimpers. Cries coming from down the alley. There was this… this small puppy- I-I can’t really recall what breed it was, but it looked hunger and tired and scared.” You looked back at him, heart aching as you saw his eyes show the pain in his heart too. “I thought to myself. How could someone leave a helpless baby animal to starve in the city’s alleyways? Why couldn’t someone have the heart to nurture it?”

“What did you do?”

HR ran the water over your back to remove any bubbles or foaming wash from your skin. “I saw myself in the puppy. Lost. Abandoned. Alone.” he whispered as he raised his chin, eyes finally meeting yours as you fully turned to observe him. Your gaze softened; your wet hand reached out to cup his jaw. Droplets of water fell from your skin into the colored water as he nuzzled into your touch. “I approached it, I wanted to keep it safe and warm. It didn’t object when I picked it up, cradling it like it the baby that it is. It trembled and shivered in my arms.” His heart dipped remembering the way the puppy felt in his arms. One of his larger hands held onto yours, the one cupping his chiseled jaw. “I had to do something, couldn’t just leave it there.” I couldn’t abandon it.

“There’s a ‘but’, isn’t there?”

“There always is…” He let out a mirthless laugh. “Things went south when a couple of drunk guys found me and the puppy. Turns out these were the same guys that had been harassing the little one through the alleys. They had been trying to use the puppy in illegal cage fights.” HR bowed his head slightly. “One thing led to the other, there was a knife and I was running like hell with the puppy. Until they cornered me, hence…” He trailed off, gesturing to his eyebrow scar with a free hand.

“HR,” you whispered, but he squeezed your hand as he took it off his face. Your other hand tightened into a fist in the water. HR’s eyes caught the movement but didn’t say anything.

“They roughed me up pretty good- I’m wasn’t- I’m not a fighter, but I would have been damned if that little puppy had been hurt. I ended up finding the little guy a home where he can be looked after and well-fed and safe.” You unclenched your fist, gently listing it to stroke his stubbly cheek as he concluded. HR ran his fingers down the length of your arm.

“You’re safe.”

“I know. You’re safe too, my little birdy.”

“I know.”

You twisted your body, stretching an arm out as you reached for his Old Spice body wash. It was your turn to help wash him. You started working away at his sturdy chest, obviously doing your best to not ogle at his abs and his entirely toned framework. But he caught your eyes drifting off more than once.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For always listening to me.”

“I love you, HR. And I would do anything in the multiverse to keep you safe and loved. You’re my one one one after all.” You winked at him, eliciting a deep chuckle from his lips. Music to your eyes, smiling as the corners of his lips lifted upwards. “There’s that radiant smile I love so much.” The man blushed but continued to grin.

HR ran a hand through his hair before catching a glimpse of his hair in the mirror. He squinted a bit as he held a lock between two fingers. “Looks to be about that time of year again.” Your fingers threaded through his hair once he released the strand.

“I’m assuming a haircut is needed.”

“Yup”

“I will never understand how men ask for their hair to be done.”

“It’s honestly really easy, with the provided visuals of course. I should take you with me once.”

“I’d be okay with that.”

“Probably going to need to dye my hair black again.”

“I think I have some leftover dye in a cabinet somewhere. You know… I wouldn’t mind seeing silver streaks on you. Makes you look like a sly silver fox to me.”

“… I’ll keep that in mind for next time as long as you allow me to learn how to do those intricate braids in your hair.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Wells.” You leaned up to kiss his lips.” The novelist smirked against your lips as he ran a hand over your bum. Neither of you had noticed that the water was starting to become lukewarm, the candles and warmth of each other distracted the two of you. “It’s a done deal.”

Taking his Old Spice Shampoo in hand, you squeezed a good amount out meanwhile he tilted his head down closer for you to reach. HR’s hands settled on your hips, steadying you on his lap to have your legs wrap around his waist. You scrubbed and massaged his scalp, creating a bubbly hairdo for him. You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped your lips. But once your bright eyes met his baby blue ones, you felt your heart skip in your chest.

HR felt your hands slow as you retracted them but made no effort in submerging them in the water to get rid of the bubbles. Instead your smaller hands rested on his broad shoulders with the tips of your fingers doing a sort of feather-light dance against his skin. The novelist found himself mesmerized by your radiance, never mind the candlelight that continued to flicker around the both of you. You felt hypnotized by his baby blue eyes, pulling you into an ocean of wonder. HR licked his lips with half-lidded eyes as you moved to kiss him deeply, your lips slowly moved against his with a sensual kind of dance to it. The doppelganger breathed you in slowly and he pressed forward. His palm rested on your cheek while his other hand took one of yours to hold onto. The kiss broke but was soon reconnected. Over and over again. The moment wasn’t rushed. There was no hurry to get to the finish line. It was just you and him and the wisps of fire around the two of you. HR nibbled on your lower lip before you reluctantly pulled away. Your tongue ran over your swollen bottom lip.

“We should probably finish up before the power decides to run out,” you started in a low-ish voice. HR noted the slight jitter in it and his heart swelled at the effect of his kisses on you.

“I don’t think it might get to that point. We’d probably end up snowed in, but there’s a chance that the power might not go out.”

“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“I know. If we must, then by all means,” The novelist murmured, nuzzling his nose with yours before the two of you finished washing up.

HR stepped out first from the foamy waters of the tub, stretching a fine limb over for some dry towels. He handed one to you when you had stepped out after him unfortunately a little less graceful as you almost slipped on the tiled floor. HR’s hand reached out to steady you. Giving him a sheepish smile, you whispered a thank you to which he returned with a wink. He knew you could be clumsy at times, but nevertheless he’s grown to love that about you. HR had come to realize that him being able to catch you from tripping over your feet or stopping you from running into things would give him a sense of ‘being your hero’ or ‘saving you’. It was just a small thing that made him happy. A ‘your hero in-the-moment’ kind of thing.

You wrapped the towel around you to rid your body of the water and bubbles. The two of you had cleaned each other well which made you sigh in contentment because feeling clean and being clean made you feel satisfied and relieved after a long day. You couldn’t help the stare you had fallen into as your eyes roamed over your boyfriends’ body as he dried himself off. Subconsciously, you licked your lips at every dip of skin, every inch of muscle. Wrapping another towel around your hair, your eyes never left HR until he turned towards you. You blinked for a split second and hastily busied yourself with pulling your undergarments from your clothes pile. HR walked back past you with his pajama’s on. The novelist had every intention in extinguishing the candles that were left only to land a soft smack on your ass. You let out a little yelp in surprise at the impact.

“See something you like?” He teased as he blew the fire out. He knew. There was a large mirror in the bathroom after all. A smirk finally settled on his face, one that he had been repressing until he smacked your ass. The heat had stayed on your cheeks from the bath and getting caught.

“Maaaaaaaaybeeeeeeee.” To be honest, it was a nice ass.

HR chuckled, “Well, since you’re done why don’t you get that cute ass of yours in bed while I go and get the smores maker?”

“How can I ever refuse such a generous offer?” You hummed, leaning up to kiss him. The Wells doppelganger nipped at your lips in return then broke away from you. He stepped towards the door. “HR?”

“Hm?” He turned back to you with curious eyes. There was a soft glow that had settled within your eyes. The sight made his body tingle.

“I love you.”

“Depends. Did you get my favorite?” You placed your hands on your hips.

“What else would I get?”

You shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe you’re going to poison me and Iris so we stop grilling your ass for always being late.”

Cisco gasped. “How did you know?”

You both chuckled as Cisco handed over your drink and a pastry then he walked over to Iris to give her a drink and a pastry. You took a long sip from your drink and sighed in content, “All is definitely forgiven, Cisco.”

“Good,” he nodded smiling.

“But, you might have to keep us this routine to stay in our good graces.”

“What? Come on, I don’t have the kind of money.”

Iris rolled her eyes, “We all get paid the same. You have some extra cash laying around.”

“Then why don’t you guys buy breakfast.”

“We do,” you and Iris said at the same time.

Cisco crossed his arms. “Okay, fine, I’ll buy you guys breakfast more often.”

You and Iris laughed. All three of you congregated around the cashier checkout counter. You leaned on it, Iris sat on it, and Cisco pulled up a chair from the backroom to sit down. You looked over to Iris, “So, how was last night?”

She smiled, “It was great. Super romantic.”

“Wait,” Cisco said with a mouthful of pastry. “What happened last night?”

You rolled your eyes. “Barry took Iris out on a date last night. She was talking about it all day yesterday.”

Cisco blushed, “Oh, uh, sorry … mind my mind was a bit elsewhere yesterday.”

“With what?”

He doesn’t say anything.

Iris poked him. “Come on, Cisco we’re all friends here. What’s the problem?”

He dropped his head and mumbled, “It’s me and Kamila’s anniversary next week.”

You and Iris squealed. “Seriously?” you gushed.

“Yeah,” Cisco scratched the back of his neck, “it’ll be one year in a week. And … and I want to do something really special. And I’ve been thinking about for the past few days and I just don’t know what to do.”

“Dinner,” Iris quickly replied.

“Well, duh. I want to do a dinner, but I’m just not sure where.”

“Ooo, there was a really nice place HR took me years ago.” You rubbed your chin in concentration then jumped up shouting, “Cottage Café! That’s it! It’s a super cute restaurant with fantastic food. It’s a bit expensive but it has that nice intimate atmosphere.”

“Huh, I guess I’ll give it a look,” Cisco replied. He nervously sipped on his drink, clearly he had something he wanted to say. He cleared his throat, “So, uh, have you talked to HR since you two broke up?”

“Yeah, we talk occasionally. He has a new book coming out soon which is amazing for him. I can still remember him working on his first one when we were dating.”

Cisco crossed his arms and shook his head. “I still can’t believe it.”

“What?”

“You! You who has dated three dudes that look exactly the same, and they’re not even related. Like, what are the odds?”

Iris smirked, “(Y/N) just knows what she likes.”

You laughed, “Damn straight I do.”

Cisco leaned forward in his chair staring directly at you. “So, let me get this straight.”

You gesture for him to continue.

“You first dated HR, then … then Sherloque?” You nodded. “And now you’re dating Harry?”

“Um … yeah, you got it.”

“How?” He threw his hands into the air. “I … I just – ugh! I don’t understand! How? You never really talk about them too much.”

“Well, what do you want to know?”

“Everything!”

You chuckled. “Alright then.”

The bell above the door rang. You spun around seeing a man strolling into your little shop. His eyes were shiny with curiosity. He started looking through the records occasionally humming in interest. You leaned on the cashier counter eyeing him up and down. He was certainly gorgeous. Tall, dark, and handsome.

“Anything I can help you with?” You asked. The man jumped in surprise at the sound of your voice. You giggled and stepped out from behind the counter to walk towards him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just wondering if there is anything I can help you find.”

He blushed a bit. “No, it’s okay. My fault really, I was trapped in my own little world.”

“I totally understand.” You peered down at the record in his hand. “Good choice.”

He stared at you for a moment. Taken back by you, your easy nature and captivating presence. Setting the record back down, he said, “Um, thanks. I … I was actually looking for something.”

“And what would that be?”

“I’m not sure.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m looking for music to … to …”

“To what?”

“… write. I’m an author – or trying to be!” He cleared his throat embarrassed by his outburst. “I’m just trying to find music that would help when writing. Something instrumental and upbeat.”

You smiled at him. “Well, you’ve come to the right shop. I got almost every album known to man, including instrumentals. Follow me.”

You weaved in between the short aisles of records before landing in front of a small section of instrumental records. “Now, I have some classical ones, but I think you’re wanting something a bit more nuisance.” You picked up two records. “These are one of my personal favorites. It’s very calming and just makes you feel good.”

He plucked the records from your hands. “Thank you.”

“What’s it about?”

“Huh?”

“Your book what’s it about?”

“Oh, uh, I’m not sure yet. But, I’m thinking a sci-fi adventure.”

You nodded, “Can’t go wrong with robots or aliens.”

He smiled, “Yeah.”

“Wait a minute, you met HR here?” Cisco asked.

“Yup,” you popped the ‘p’. “He was completely lost and to be honest it was kind of adorable.”

Cisco huffed leaning back in his seat. “How come I don’t remember this? Where was I?”

“You weren’t there. I think you were out on a lunch break or something. Iris saw him, though. She was in the back doing inventory.”

Iris nodded as her legs dangled over the side of the counter. “Yeah, I saw him when he was paying.”

You smiled a little at the memory. “Yeah … he also wrote his number on my hand.”

“And you were smitten.”

You blushed slightly. “Okay, maybe a little.”

“Then what?” Cisco interjected. “You two just broke up? Why?”

You and HR lounged on your couch in your apartment. The two of you have been dating for a few months, and everything felt good. But, there in laid the problem, it was only just good. You glanced at HR who was focused on the TV. He looked over feeling your eyes on him. He offered a smile which you returned.

Maybe, it’s me. Maybe, I just wasn’t ready for this.

HR gaze fell. His easy smile drooped as something plagued his mind.

“HR?” You reached out touching his leg.

He snapped out of his thoughts. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay? You seem a bit out of it today.”

“I … I was just thinking.”

“About?”

He fidgeted in his seat. He sat up and swiveled to face you. You instinctively straightened up seeing his own rigid posture. “I’ve been thinking about … about … us.”

“Us?” You repeated.

“Yeah,” he scratched the back of his head.

“Meaning?”

He sighed, “I don’t know.” HR did like you, but the two of you have been growing distance over the last month. That initial spark was gone. And he didn’t know if it was his doing or not.

You bit your lip. “HR … I think we should break up.”

HR perked up. His face impossible to read.

Please, don’t be mad. Please, don’t be mad.

“Wait, really? Because I was thinking the same thing,” he said.

You breathed out a sigh of relief knowing you were both on the same page. It definitely eased away any stress you had initially. “I mean it’s not you,” you explained, “this has been good. I had a ton of fun with you.”

“Me too,” he fiddled with his hands. “But, I just think … we … we’re going separate ways.”

“Yes!” You threw your hands up in agreement as a light laugh escaped. “You want to work on your book and my shop has been getting more and more costumers thanks to a certain someone recommending it to everyone.”

HR blushed, “I had to.”

“And I will forever be in your debt.”

He chuckled, “And I could say the same to you. I actually have a story to tell thanks to you.”

You shook your head, “You would have gotten there eventually. But with everything happening we just don’t have time for each other. This is, what? Our first time together since a week, probably more.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. His eyes locked with yours. “Is … could we … could we possibly stay friends?”

“Absolutely,” you smiled. “Besides I need constant updates about your book and you bet your ass I’m going to be the first one in line to buy it.”

“Thank you, (Y/N).” He leaned in and kissed your cheek, “I’ll see you around.”

“Until next time.”

HR walked out of your apartment. It was still bittersweet, but both of you were happy with how it ended. A chapter closed with a new one ready to begin for the both of you.

Cisco stared at you dumbfounded. “Are … are you serious?”

You sipped the last drop of your drink. “Yeah.”

“That’s how you broke up? You broke up with him and he agreed?”

“Well, yeah, like I said we were drifting apart. We’re not romantically involved anymore, but we’re still kind of close.”

Cisco looked to Iris. “Can you believe this? Who breaks up with someone and still be friends with them?”

Iris laughed, “It’s pretty easy.”

“No, it’s not! It’s so weird.”

You walked over to the trashcan throwing away your cup. “HR was even kind enough to send me a copy of his book before it hit the shelves too,” you said. “I heard he’s working on a new one, plus there’s a rumor of a sequel to his first book which I cannot confirm or deny.”

“And Harry’s okay with this?” Cisco asked.

“Of course,” you paused stopping in your tracks. “Well, he was a little confused in the beginning, maybe a little jealous, but he gets it. I’m with him and only him. HR is just a friend nothing more. Hell, HR even knows about Harry.”

Cisco groaned pressing his head against the counter. He mumbled into the glossy wood as you and Iris smirked at each other. He quickly jerked up flinging his hair back. “Okay, so after HR you dated Harry? Where did you met him?”

Strolling into the backroom, you called out over your shoulder. “Actually I met Sherloque next!”

“Shit, I forgot about him,” he huffed. “The French detective.”

You plopped down a chair at the counter kicking your legs up. “Oui, et il était merveilleus aussi.”

“When did you learn to speak French!”

“She spent a whole summer in France, Cisco. How do you keep forgetting this stuff?” Iris asked.

“I’m a forgetful person, okay? Sorry.”

It’s been a few days since you landed in France. It was a well needed vacation and this place has been on your bucket list since you were a kid. For the whole summer, you were to be staying here learning the culture, learning the language, exploring hidden secrets, and cherishing their art and music. You were truly excited about the latter. You strolled through the town you were staying at with a map and a translation guide in your hands. You had a decent grasp of French, but it didn’t hurt to carry it around.

You turned a corner and collided into someone. You instantly rattled off, “Je suis vraiment désolé, je ne t’ai pas vu là-bas.”

“Ah, it is fine.”

You glanced up then stepped back in shock. “… HR?”

The man, who looked like HR but clearly was not, raised an eyebrow at you. “Ah, no, the name is Sherloque.”

You opened then swiftly shut your mouth. “I … I’m sorry you just look like someone I know.”

“Ah, that is okay, mon chérie.” He paused tilting his head. “Tourist?”

You blushed slightly. “Am I that obvious?”

He shook his head then pointed to the book and map clutched against your chest. “I saw those. Although, your French could use some work.”

“Well, aren’t you observant?”

He smirked, “More than you know.”

“Meaning?”

“I’m a detective, mon chérie. I can deduce everything and anything about you.”

“Alright then, go on.”

He blinked, “Pardon?”

“Go on. Deduce me.” You smiled. “I’m curious as to what you can see.”

He cleared his throat, “Ah, right.” He glanced over you and nodded. Seconds later, he began listing off all the basics of your life from where you live, if you have any pets, friends, relationships, down to your job. “And you are a music store owner.”

You cocked your head, “And how exactly do you know that?”

He smirked, “I cannot spill my secrets to a stranger.”

You laughed shaking your head. “Well, how about I treat you to a drink? A little sorry for running into you.”

“I would love that, petit oiseau chanteur.”

“So, you just ran into him? Just like that?” Cisco asked flabbergasted. “What are you a magnet for these dudes?”

You shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Iris smirked, “I think she is.”

“I mean she has to be,” Cisco added.

You laughed, “Alright, maybe I am.”

Iris leaned forward, “So, what happens next?”

“Well … it was a wonderful time. A, uh, exciting time,” you winked.

Iris laughed, “So it was all physical?”

“Well, no … yes? I don’t know. I just know that after the summer ended I went back home and we never really spoke since. He’s off busying solving crimes, doing his thing.”

“So …”

“Yeah?”

“Was it good?”

“The sex?”

“No, the food – yes, the sex!”

You blushed, “Yes, it was good.” You slowly reminisced on those wondrous nights together. “I guess you could say I really learned to appreciate the French language that summer.”

Iris laughed while Cisco groaned, “Can we please move on? I’m glad you got some action, but I rather not here about it in detail.”

Iris booed Cisco. “Speak for yourself. Us girls need to know this stuff.”

Cisco jumped to his feet. “That’s it, I’m going to go get some lunch. You guys get all that girl talk out of your system then when I get back I want to hear the rest of this story.”

Lunch?

You glanced over to the clock, and yes it was lunchtime. The hours seemed to be flying by. You didn’t even realize it until Cisco said something. Your stomach then growled at the mentioning of food. Cisco marched towards the exit when you called out to him, “Can you please bring some Big Belly Burger back?”

He sighed looking over his shoulder. “Yeah, do you want something to Iris?”

Iris nodded, “The usual please.”

“Will do.”

As Cisco walked out of the shop, Iris turned to you. “Now spill.”

Thirty minutes later, Cisco returned with the food and drinks. You and Iris were talking in hushed voices. Cisco cringed at the sight. He didn’t want to imagine what the two of you were talking about. “Um, I’m back,” he announced.

You and Iris whipped your heads over to Cisco, both smiling like giddy schoolgirls. “Cisco! Right on time,” you cheered. “I was just telling Iris –“

“Ah! I don’t want to hear it!” He placed the bags down on the counter. “Just take the food and continue on with your story. And don’t tell me about your sex life!”

You smiled and grabbed your burger. You fell back into your seat thankful for the food. “So,” you said in between bites, “where did I leave off?”

Cisco sipped his drink, “We were on Harry and how you met him.”

“Right!”

In a small café, music gently filled the air. Music specifically from an acoustic guitar. Your acoustic guitar. You sat on a stool on a small staging area. A spotlight shone on you. With your eyes closed losing yourself in your music, you continued to strum the guitar. Two other people had joined you on the stage. One of them played the keyboard and the other sang beautifully.

It was a Sunday, in the middle of the afternoon. You come here every Sunday at this time to play whether it was with others or by yourself. As the singer’s voice faded off the crowd clapped. You sighed and placed your guitar on its stand. It was your break. As you strolled off the stage, a duo, both singers, took your place.

The barista behind the counter, Jerome, smiled as you approached. “You were awesome today, (Y/N).”

You leaned on the counter. “Are you implying that I suck every other time?”

Jerome laughed, “You know what I mean.”

“Well, you know why I’m here.”

He smiled, “Your usual drink and sandwich.”

“Ah, you know me so well.”

He chuckled then turned to start preparing it. You sighed and turned around pressing your back into the counter scanning the crowd. There wasn’t many. Not that there ever was, but it didn’t matter. You loved playing here. Loved to indulge in your hobby. It was a nice change from your shop.

A man walked up beside you wanting to order. Jerome peered over his shoulder, “One minute, sir, and I’ll be with you.”

“Okay,” the man mumbled. He peered over at you watching as you nodded along to the song the pair was singing. Watching as the music enveloped you. He cleared his throat, “Um, you were pretty good up there.”

You smiled ducking your head. “Thanks.”

You glanced up to the man and you blinked in shock. It was the face you knew by heart at this point, but attached to a completely different man. His oceanic eyes bore into you.

“Uh …” you mumbled.

He cocked his head. He opened his mouth when Jerome cut him off, “Here you go, (Y/N)!”

You quickly thanked Jerome and grabbed your drink and sandwich. You were about to walk away when you stopped. You stared as the twin – doppelganger or whatever you want to call it – of HR and Sherloque order a black coffee. You bit your lip. “Um, excuse me?”

The man glanced to you shoving his hands into his front pockets. “Yeah?”

“Do … do you want to sit with me? I don’t know, maybe talk?”

He blinked in surprise. “I … I –“

“Sorry,” you cut him off feeling extremely embarrassed, “I didn’t mean to be so forward.”

“No, um, I would love to … but I’m busy right now. I … I have work that I have to do.”

“Work?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “I” –he muttered a curse under his breath – “I would love to, I really do, but I have meetings to attend to with investors and other colleagues.”

You smiled sadly, “Next time then.”

“Here you go, Harry,” Jerome passed over a coffee.

Harry picked it up thanking Jerome. He looked to you. “So, uh …”

“I’ll be here next Sunday same time. Or I have a record shop downtown, SoulNotes, you can come a visit.”

“SoulNotes?”

You nodded. “And yes that’s the cheesy name my partners decided on. I was outvoted.”

“What was the name you wanted?”

“… uh … that’s not important,” you blushed. Technically, it was worse than SoulNotes, but he didn’t need to know that.

He smiled, “It was that bad, huh? Maybe one day I’ll find out.”

“You visit and maybe I’ll tell you.”

Harry nodded, “Looks like I’m coming to your shop.”

“And I guess you could say the rest is history,” you finished. Trash from Big Belly Burger littered the counter. You leaned on your elbow staring at Cisco while Iris smiled down at you.

Cisco shook his head. “Three dudes, three similar looking dudes. That’s just so weird. I still can’t believe.”

“Well, believe it,” you said.

“So, where’s Harry now?”

“Working with contractors and going over blueprints on his science building.”

“What is he going to do there?”

“Pave the way for the future.” You sighed dreamily, “You should really hear him talking about future possibilities. It can be a bore when he explains the mathematics behind it, but the ideas the man has is unbelievable.”

Iris and Cisco smiled at you. You were truly love struck with this last one. You dropped your forehead on the counter as your cheeks warmed at the thought of Harry. “I got it bad for this one,” you whispered into the wood.

Iris chuckled then rubbed your back, “You think this one is staying?”

“Dear god I hope so,” you mumbled.

“What is it about this one?”

“I don’t know,” you lifted your head, “I mean with HR and Sherloque it wasn’t bad. But there’s something about Harry that just feels more right, if that makes sense. I mean we don’t have to say anything sometimes. Sometimes we’ll just sit in the living room, I’ll be playing my guitar while he’s going over his work. It … it just feels so nice.”

“Girl, you go it bad,” Cisco smirked.

You blushed hiding your face in your hands, “I know.” The bell chimed as someone walked in. You didn’t move. “You guys got this customer right?”

“I think you might want to help this one, (Y/N).” Cisco replied.

You peeked up and saw Harry walking in with a smile. You smiled wildly then jumped up and ran over to him. You leapt you in his arms. “I thought you wouldn’t be done until later tonight.”

Harry chuckled. “We got done early, besides I needed to come and see you.”

“Well, aren’t you two just the sweetest,” Cisco teased.

Harry glanced up nodding to your partners. “Ramon. West.”

“Hey, Harry,” Iris smiled.

“Do you mind if I steal your co-worker for the rest of the day?”

“Actually –“

“Go right on ahead,” Iris cut off Cisco.

“Are you sure?” You asked looking back over to them.

“Get the hell out of here,” she smiled.

You laughed. You muttered a ‘hold on’ as you sprinted to the backroom to grab your bag. In seconds, you were back at Harry’s side. Cheeks flushed from running and excitement. Iris and Cisco smiled as you walked out of the shop hand in hand with Harry.

Yeah, they thought, Harry is definitely a keeper.

Translations:

Oui, et il était merveilleus aussi - yes, and he was wonderful too

Je suis vraiment désolé, je ne t’ai pas vu là-bas - I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there

H.R. Wells: The man irritated that daylights out of you with his laid-back attitude and everything. Today he just went on and on about this, and that of his book and his earth, and something just pissed you off about it. You hated the way his stupid, handsome face grinned when you talked to him or how he complimented you when you came back from battle. So you grabbed him, and you kissed him; you didn’t even realize what you had done until you let go of him, and he smirked, asking if he was really that attractive.

Iris West: You were going to tell her; you had to tell her. Barry talked about how it could put her in danger. But hiding a secret like being a Meta from your girlfriend wasn’t smart. Especially when she was a reporter, Iris was getting suspicious about you and Barry spending so much time a S.T.A.R. Labs. Her showing up at the CCPD was bad; there was a bad Meta on the loose. and Barry was stressing about catching them. Iris walks in while the two of you are arguing. She pulls you aside to ask about why you two are being so weird and this and that. So, you panic and kiss her; you hadn’t gotten to that level with her before. However, you were panicking, and that was the first thing that came to your mind. You hoped that it would be enough to distract her, but after you finish, she is back again asking questions, and you had to tell her the truth. Barry wasn’t happy about that.

It was still hard to accept that HR was dead. After everything that you two had been through together, it just didn’t feel right. Every time that you looked up, you expected for him to be next to you. There were parts of S.T.A.R. Labs that still smelled like coffee. He had left cups all over the room he had been staying in and you hadn’t had the heart to clear them all out. You found one of his old scarves the day after he died and you didn’t take it off for a month. The others watched you walk around and they tried to help but they couldn’t. No one could help you with this.

You had tried to talk to him. That was your power, after all. You had always been able to see the after images of people who had died. Not him, though. He wasn’t there. Maybe it was because he wasn’t from this dimension. Maybe he didn’t want to see you. 

Either way, it hurt.

“You didn’t have to do that, HR,” you whispered in your room, “you didn’t have to leave me behind.”

You closed your eyes to fight back your tears. You pulled your knees up to your chest and took depp breaths, letting them out slowly to try and calm yourself. It didn’t feel like it was working. You missed him, more than you thought you would ever miss anyone. Finally, you opened your eyes.

A choked gasp escaped your lips. He was there. It was HR, smiling down at you. You stood and walked to him reaching up. He did the same. You couldn’t touch him, you knew that. 

“I’m sorry,” you said.

He shook his head. His ghostly hand almost touched your cheek. He pointed to himself. You understood.

“Goodbye, HR. I’ll never forget you.”

Still with your eyes closed, you rolled over in bed, expecting to be able to cuddle up to HR, but instead found nothing but vacant space on his side of the bed.

Your eyes flew open as you felt the cold sheets and, frowning slightly, you pulled back the covers, grabbing one of HR’s jumpers off of the chair and throwing it on over your pyjama top as you went in search of him.

“HR?” you called as you walked through your apartment, heading for the kitchen as that was the most likely place to find him at this time in the morning. And as predicted, as you rounded the corner you spotted him in his red and white Christmas jumper getting things out of several cupboards.

“Ah! (Y/N), you’re awake!” HR grinned over his shoulder as he heard you enter the room, busily going about making coffee in two mugs.

“As are you,” you said, coming up behind him and wrapping your arms around his middle, nuzzling your nose in between his shoulder blades, “I wanted to cuddle.”

“But the day’s begun and we have so much to do!” he replied eagerly, rubbing his hand over yours where they were entwined around him.

“HR, what are you talking about? We’ve finally got time off!” you countered, letting him go and leaning against the counter next to him.

“My Christmas plan, of course!” he exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the world, causing you to giggle at his enthusiasm.

“And what exactly would that be?” you enquired with a raise of your eyebrow.

“Ah, that would be telling,” HR said with a secretive smile before passing you one of the mugs of fresh coffee. “For you, my lady,” he said with a small bow making you smile even wider.

“So I just have to trust you?” you said, taking a small sip of the delicious drink. He always knew exactly how you liked it.

His head bobbed excitedly and you nodded back in understanding, smiling in resignation that you weren’t going to get anything more out of him.

“Okay, I’ll go and get ready then,” you said, taking your mug and heading back to your bedroom to shower and dress for the day.

“Wear something warm!” he called out to you as you padded away and you grinned, wondering what exactly he could possibly have in store for you.

It turned out that it would have been easier to wonder what you wouldn’t be doing.

As soon as you were ready, wrapped up in your coat, hat and scarf, HR whisked you out of your apartment with boundless enthusiasm. He intertwined his fingers with yours as you walked towards the centre of the city, making festive-related jokes to make you laugh the entire way to your destination.

“First stop, ice rink!” He grinned at you as you took in the sight before you. The main square in the city had been turned into a highly decorated skating rink for the season, filled with dozens of people having fun out on the ice.

“HR, this is amazing!” you said, giving him a hug before pulling him towards the giant Christmas tree at the entrance so that you could get started.

It turned out that, unsurprisingly, HR was an incredible skater, showing you spins and tricks to try and impress you while also helping you around the rink.

While you weren’t completely helpless on the ice, you also weren’t as skilled as HR so he played the perfect gentleman, holding onto your hand with one of his and wrapped the other around your waist to lead you around.

But that still didn’t stop you from stumbling and pulling him over with you onto the cold surface where, after you got over the shock, you both started laughing uncontrollably as he lovingly kissed your forehead.

After you spent the morning messing around on the ice, the pair of you headed to the shops to buy some last minute things for Christmas day, including a lot of baking ingredients, the purpose of which HR refused to tell you until you got home.

“Okay, you’ve kept it from me long enough. What’s next on your little agenda, Mr Wells?” you asked as you unlocked your door to let the both of you back into the warm space of your apartment.

He gave you a knowing smile as he carried the shopping bags through into the kitchen with you following behind him. You took off your coat and shoes and went to join him behind the counter to help put everything away.

“Well, I thought we should make some gingerbread together,” he said, eyes wide with excitement, “It’s not Christmas without that smell of home baking wafting through the air, don’t you think?”

You smiled at him as you pressed a kiss to his cheek causing him to grin goofily back at you. You didn’t think you’d ever get over how much one man could make you smile in the course of one day.

“I couldn’t agree more,” you said brightly, unpacking the ingredients from the bags and laying them out on the counter, along with one of your recipe books so that you find a recipe and could begin.

While he weighed out the correct amounts of flour, sugar and various spices, HR told you about Christmas back on Earth-19 and a few of the weirder traditions that you had you laughing so much that tears were rolling down your cheeks. But when it came to actually mixing everything, you managed to compose yourself enough to do it, while HR made more hot drinks for you.

As you were rolling out the dough and cutting out gingerbread men and candy cane shapes, HR came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and started planting soft kisses on your neck as you worked.

“HR… these aren’t going to make themselves and you are… mmm… not helping…” you chastised without any force behind it, as you were won over by his talented mouth.

“I can’t help it, mon Cherie, you look so sweet yourself,” he grinned against your neck, before placing a chaste kiss to your cheek and coming to stand beside you in order to lend a hand with the cookie cutting.

You ended up filling nearly three trays and joked that you’d still be eating gingerbread in February, which HR didn’t seem to have much of problem with.

And while they were baking in the oven, HR took your hand in his and twirled you into his chest, chuckling at the way you looked slightly taken aback at the sudden change in position. But when you realised what he was doing, you rested your hand on his arm as his held your waist and allowed him to spin you around the kitchen.

You both laughed as you danced, carefree for once in your chaotic lives, sharing several long, romantic kisses before being brought back to reality by the beeping oven timer.

As you left the biscuits to cool, you pondered over what else your excitable boyfriend could possibly squeeze into this incredible day. But you found out when you moved into the living room which HR had made into a cosy little sanctuary with blankets and a fire lit in the grate.

“And the grand finale,” HR said dramatically as he stood in front of the roaring fire, a copy of the film ‘White Christmas’ clutched in his hands, large, puppy-dog eyes staring back at you.

“What did I do to deserve you?” you asked, seriously wondering how you’d gotten so lucky as to be with a man like HR. He just shot you one of his most charming grins and began to set up the film on your TV while you prepared some snacks

You grabbed a selection of the cookies that you’d just baked and other sweet treats that HR had purchased while you were out. You finished off your spread with two mugs of eggnog as HR came and sat next to you on the sofa, draping his arm around your shoulders when the film began to play.

The pair of you sang all of the songs in the film together whilst you roasted marshmallows over the top of candle flames and used your freshly baked cookies to make S’mores. Although that was if the marshmallows lasted long enough to actually be sandwiched in the biscuits…

After he’d held it over the fire for long enough, HR plucked one gooey one off of the skewer and held it out for you. “For you, my darling,” he said with a wink.

You grinned back, taking the sweet from him with your mouth and making sure to lick all the remnants from his thumb and forefinger before kissing his lips when he gave you a slightly darkened look.

The kiss deepened and turned a lot more passionate, with HR leaning over you as your hands explored every inch of his jumper-covered chest. Safe to say, you had to rewind the film a good fifteen minutes after your little make-out was over.

When you both settled down again, you cuddled against him, resting your head on his chest as one of his hands played with your hair and the other intertwined his fingers with yours.

“This has been the best Christmas Eve ever, HR, thank you,” you said softly as ‘The End’ appeared on the screen and the remaining credits began to roll.

“Thank you, for letting me do all of this,” he replied, placing a soft kiss into your hair. He blushed slightly as he admitted, “I’ve not had someone to celebrate like this with in a long while… I’m really glad I have you now.”

“Me too,” you replied softly, leaning over to grab yours and his mug from the table and passing it over to him.

“Merry Christmas, HR Wells,” you said, holding your mug up in a toast.

“Merry Christmas, (Y/N),” he agreed, tapping his drink against yours, “long may the merriment continue.”