#killervibe fic

Okay so Ik you sent this in like 3 years ago but i felt inspired ig so here it is! Happy late holidays everyone and happy new year!

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Iris walked into the cortex and heard giggling. She wasn’t sure where it was coming from but it didn’t sound like her boyfriend.

“Barry?” She just needed to be sure. She stared at the Flash suit on the mannequin in front of her. The hollow metal stared back at her through the eye holes. She got no response.

“That’s not true, Cisco,” she heard a voice from the med bay. This one she was sure was Caitlin.

“Of course it is, I could hear it throughout the entire apartment.” She heard another voice. Definitely Cisco.

“I do not snore!” Caitlin said, Iris could hear the annoyance in her voice. She heard another laugh out of Cisco and the beginning of footsteps coming in her direction.

It’s not Caitlin’s fault that confessing your feelings for your best friend typically doesn’t come with an instruction manual.

And it’s not her fault that it takes him completely by surprise.

And it’s definitely, a hundred and ten percent not her fault—that she panics and steals his bike to escape this mess of an embarrassment.

“Caitlin!” Cisco runs out to the hallways o of his apartment, calling out to Caitlin, who’s already halfway down the stairs with a massive bike in her arms. “Caitlin, wait, what the hell are you doing?”

Almost at the ground floor.

She bumps into a security guard and hops onto the seat even before she gets out the door. She can still hear Cisco yelling, “You know I can still breach to you, right?!”

She races out into the streets and pedals as fast as she can. She doesn’t even know where she’s going. Normally, she’s not a bike person—pencil skirts and heels don’t make for appropriate gear.

As she pedals faster, she feels her heart rate rising. Panic starts to settle in. The realization finally hits: that she’s changed the course of their friendship forever.

She’s ruined everything between them.

Her sweat gets masked by a sudden cold chill as she notices the handlebars frosting over.

Oh, she did not need need her frosty arbitrator tonight.

I noticed that I haven’t written much Mom!Caitlin, and that needed to be fixed right away. 

~.~ 

Caitlin looked out the window just as the two school buses pull up in front of their house. She nodded to herself, pleased to see the driver still on schedule after this many years, and continued working at the kitchen island. 

The front door swung open as the kids marched in, the younger ones sprinting up the stairs so they could change out of their uniforms to play, but Dante Stein stayed behind. He locked the door behind them, then wandered into the room to find her. 

“Hey mom.” 

Caitlin smiled at her son as he shrugged off his dad’s old leather jacket and pulled himself a chair. He was beginning to look so much like him, it was uncanny. Cisco joked that Dante Stein was a Francisco Ramon after a bleach wash and tumble cycle in the dryer. His tousled hair was lighter than the rest of his siblings, with a golden highlight at the ends where it curled against his shoulders, and his eyes were all hers.

 Still, he looked like Cisco. 

im sorry for recycling an old fic, but I didn’t want to leave you with nothing from me today and I didn’t have inspo for today’s prompt

Caitlin couldn't seem to concentrate. Her cold hands wrapped her S.T.A.R. Labs mug filled with coffee as her eyes focused on a random spot beyond the desk.

Cisco could sense that something was off, as he always could. He knew Caitlin almost better than he knew himself. Something was bothering her.

"Caitlin?" Cisco laid a hand on her shoulder and snapped her out of her trance.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Caitlin blinked. "Just, ya know. Thinking."

About something in particular.

Please ask me about it.

"About what?" he sat next to her.

"Well, my ex from high school, Mason, is getting married. I was invited. I would feel bad about not going, but I don't want to go alone. But the truth is, I am alone." She sighed and swallowed a sip of her coffee.

"You're not alone, you've got me." Cisco gave her shoulder a touch.

Caitlin rolled her eyes to look over at him.

"I mean romantically, Cisco."

Yikes. That hurt.

"Okay, how about this"

Caitlin rose her brow.

You'll be my date?

Please ask me on a date.

"I could go with you." he paused for a beat.

Yes!

"Pretend to be your boyfriend"

Pretend. Just what he wanted.

"Pretend?"

Her heart sank a little bit. She really hoped Cisco would ask her on an official date.

"Yeah. No one judges you, and you're not lonely" He smiles.

Ugh, that smile.

Caitlin smiled at the fact that Cisco cared to escort her so she wouldn't feel lonely.

"Thank you, Cisco" She hugged him.

"Of course"

~.~

They sat in their assigned seating, Caitlin holding a stemless glass of white wine that read

Mason and Julia Parker

True Love

December 12, 2018

Just another reminder to Caitlin that she hadn't found that.

She wanted a wedding.

When Ronnie was alive, their wedding was very last minute. Because she thought he had died and she wanted to marry him before he disappeared again. But she still never got to finish planning her dream wedding. She never got to have it.

She looked over to see Mason and Julia talking with guests.

The way he's looking at her.

Caitlin couldn't help but notice Mason looking at his new wife like she hung the moon. Like he loved everything about her. The little stuff. The random stuff. Like when she snorted just a little when she laughed. He looked at her like he would do anything for her without thinking twice.

God, I want that.

~~~~~

Cisco looked at Caitlin like she hung the moon.

He loved everything about her. The little stuff. The random stuff. Like the way she was running her finger around the rim of her wine glass and chewing a bit at her lips while she observed the guests. He would do anything for her without thinking twice.

God, I love her.

Mason and his bride came over to their table.

"Caitlin! So glad you could come. Caitlin this is my new wife, Julia. Julia, This is Caitlin. We were friends back in high school." Mason beamed introducing the love of his life.

"Nice to meet you, Julia." Caitlin shook her hand.

"Mason, this is my f-" she had to catch herself. "fellow S.T.A.R. Labs employee and boyfriend, Cisco. Cisco, this is my...Mason. This is Mason. From high school"

Really smooth, Cait.

"Hi, Nice to meet you" Cisco shook Mason's hand. "Congratulations," as he shook Julia's.

"Well, it was good to meet you, Cisco. Caitie, good to see you again."

How could he still call me that?

"It's time for us to dance. Maybe we'll catch up later?" Mason and Julia made their way to the dance floor.

A piano began to play.

Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be close to you.

Caitlin looked over at Mason and Julia. Dancing and in love.

Cisco heard those lyrics and looked over at Caitlin.

I really love her.

"May I have this dance?" Cisco extended his hand for her

I really do want to dance with him.

She just nodded and took his hand.

On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.

He looked at her, watching the bride and groom. She looked almost hurt. But he couldn't help but notice how the hair that fell loose from her braided updo framed her perfect face.

The bride and groom share a kiss.

Caitlin whimpers in agony and lays her head on Cisco's chest, ear to his heart. She couldn't watch them anymore.

Cisco's heart sped up.

Can she hear it?

He kissed the top of her head.

I wish she knew how much I love her.

He continued to hold her close and they swayed to the music. Soon enough, the song came to an end.

"Cisco, can we go home?" She pleaded.

"Are you sure? They're playing some more upbeat songs now, we can get our jam on!"

"Hey, guys, we were in the middle of a conversation when we had to go dance."

Mason and Julia were back.

"Mason, we were just saying we were about to head ou-"

Mason continued as if he hadn't heard Caitlin at all.

"How did you two meet?"

"Well," Cisco began.

"We work together at S.T.A.R. Labs. We met on my first day. I was arguing it out with our, horrible ex co-worker. She came in and," he turned to look at Caitlin.

"I couldn't stop looking at her." he smiled

Caitlin smiled.

I really love him, don't I?

"She and I became very close friends not long after I joined the team at the lab. We've always done almost everything together. One night, she got captured by one of the metas that was running around Central City at the time. I couldn't bear thinking about my life without her in it. When I got her back. She told me she thought she was going to die. I told her-"

Caitlin interrupted.

"Not while I'm around."

"Yeah" he smiled at her.

"And in keeping that promise to keep her safe," he paused. "I realized I've been in love with her since the start. And why else would I made such a big promise?"

Caitlin's heart fluttered. She looked into the dark eyes that looked back into hers.

Does he really mean all of that?

There's no way he could make up something so moving on the spot?

He must have practiced in advance.

He's only known about the wedding for 5 hours.

Caitlin, who are you kidding, He's Cisco!

He can come up with stuff on the spot.

He's been doing it for years, between meta naming and his jokes.

God, I really do love him.

"Well, again, congratulations to the Mr. and Mrs. But we have a date with microwave popcorn, Netflix, and our pjs. Thank you for a lovely evening, Mr. and Mrs. Parker." Cisco nodded.

Yep, I love him.

Cisco took her hand.

"Come on, Cait." he kissed her cheek.

Now would be a good time for KillerFrost to come out just a little.

Just to take away the red in my cheeks?

~.~

She had to ask.

"Cisco?" She spoke up on their walk back to his apartment.

"What's up, Snow Patrol?" he joked with her.

"Did you mean any of that? That you said to Mason at the reception." she chewed her lip.

"Every word of it, Caitlin" he didn't hesitate.

"You love me?" she stopped in her tracks.

"Yeah, I do," he smiled, stopping with her. "I hope that's okay. Cause it's going to be a little hard to stop."

He began walking again.

She grabbed his hand and intertwined it with hers.

Silence fills the air of Cisco’s car, Caitlin in the passenger seat, staring outside the window at the passing houses. He wants to talk to her, wants to take every moment he can to see her smile or hear her laughter tinkling in the intimacy of the car, to hear her voice calm and dreamy or bubbly and mischievous. He wants it all. 

But the car ride is silent.

There are no words that are shared between them, a sharp contrast to the countless that would always bubble up no matter the circumstances. But that was their friendship, and this...

this was a date.

A horrible, awful, wonderful date.

(It was only wonderful because of his company, objectively, Caitlin aside, it was a terrible first date.)

The drive to her dorm was mercifully short, cruelly quick. Because Cisco never wants his time with her to end, but god, every second is a nail into his heart, the silence an agony he can’t dull.

When he does pull up in front of her dorm awkwardness fills the air. He can see her internal debate displayed across her face,  Caitlin opening and closing her mouth before shaking it, her hand reaching to exit. "Night Cisco." It is a gentle whisper, tinged with sadness, and he can't have that, can't let the night end like this.

“I had thirty bucks.” The words slip out, but he can't find it within himself to regret it.  It grabs her attention,  Caitlin turning her head to him, the door forgotten. It scares him, thrills him, having her attention like this. Because holding her attention, it is incredible, it is intoxicating, but after that date, that spectacular failure of a date, the perfection of it is marred. “I mean, twenty was spent on entering the damn thing, and the food was way too expensive let’s be real, and I wasn’t sure if you’d want dessert after and I just -” he sighs, looking away. “I’m sorry.”

“I could have bought it,” she interrupts gently, the look of confusion still on her face. She takes one of his hands, squeezing it softly. And it is though she is instead holding his heart, Cisco’s head jerking up, eyes shining as he watches her, awe in his gaze. It stills her heart, the sight of him, bathed in the glow of the street lights, locks of hair drenched by the rain, shirt clinging to his body. He’s beautiful she thinks, but god, his eyes, his eyes are what kills her. “You gotta know I wouldn’t have minded.”

“Yeah, I know.” He groans in frustration, wiping his face with his palm. “But we’d already made a deal. I’d pay for this date and, if it went well, you’d do the next. I figured if you chipped in then it wouldn’t just be me and you’d use it as an excuse to get out of another date. And I couldn't risk that. Because I wanted more, god I wanted so much more.” He’s rambling, but he can’t stop himself, he doesn’t really want to. Because Caitlin deserves answers, she deserves the truth. And he knows it was a horrible date, that he’ll never have the chance to hold her hand again, to interlace their fingers, to smile at her like she was his whole world and not feel the fool for it. There would never be another carnival game where he could attempt to win her a stuffed toy, another ferris wheel ride where they could sit in a comfortable silence and watch the stars twinkle in the inky black sky.

There would never be another date, no introducing her to mama and papa, no Dante attempting to sabotage a relationship Cisco had done well enough destroying himself. 

And it kills him.

“Between classes and my family... I don’t really have much money to spend on -” he pauses, searching for the right word. And he knows it. Anything. “Everything is so stressful, constantly balancing budgets and dealing with home but, when I’m with you -” He takes a shuddering breath, a smile lighting up his face, lighting up the car when he thinks. “When I’m with you I can feel carefree. I can tell you anything. I feel -" he cuts himself off, a resigned smile curling his lips.  "If home was a person, mine would be you Cait. It would be your smile and laughter and the way your eyes light up when you learn something new and the wrinkle in your forehead when you hear something you don't agree with.” His words leave her breathless and speechless, Caitlin only able to watch as he told her everything. “Being with, dating other people, it's nice. But when I'm with you everything else just doesn't compare. It's -” He let's out a low whistle,  his eyes wide and expressive. “The way you make me feel, what you do to my heart every time you just smile at me...  I'd be a fool to not be half in love with you already.”

Her breath hitches at the implication,  Caitlin forming a fist to stop her hands from shaking. 

“I had dreams for this, for us." he sighs, "this wasn't anywhere close." He shrugs helplessly. "I'm sorry it was such a horrible date."

“It wasn't that bad.” Caitlin leans forward, and he’s distracted momentarily by her hair bounces as she shakes her head in response.

He levels her a look. "Caitlin please, I know what it was, I was there.” She scrunches her nose, but she doesn’t retort. There wasn’t anything she could say. “You're a good study buddy and friend... But god I wish we could have been more.”

It hurts her, physically hurts, the ache in her chest growing as she hears his words, his tone. “The girls in my class read over my shoulder when you texted.” The sharp turn confuses him, but he listens intently, drinks in the extra moments of perfection he’s given. “They told me that if it is a really good first date I should leave my jacket or something in your car, and that if you’re a good guy you’ll come back and return it and hopefully...” The blush on her cheeks as she recounts this makes him believe that leaving the jacket wasn’t their first suggestion for the car, and he can barely bite down a smile as she stumbles over her words. It is only a flicker as she breaks eye contact, Caitlin fiddling with her fingers, watching them instead of him. “But this, well it wasn’t a good date. I don’t think anything went right - including your allergy to cats.”

She’s letting him down gently, he figures. With soft words and a gentle smile and it is crushing. He bares it with a smile. 

Caitlin could have been cruel, but she was being kind and it means the world to him.

She risks a glance at him,  Cisco with his kind eyes and a soft smile. It scares her, how one look can leave her so affected, her heart in her throat. 

“Oh, but the way you look at me...” She breathes the word wow more than speaks it, almost melts in her seat as he turns that look toward her. It is a miracle in itself that she could remember how to breathe, that she could remember her own name. “I’m - well, this is a first for me, so don't judge too harshly” and before he could even as for an explanation she leans forward, Caitlin swallowing his sharp inhale of surprise. He doesn’t move to take control of the kiss, and she appreciates it,

she isn't sure how she'd respond if he did. 

(She'd give in to everything and she knows it.) 

He tastes like sweetness, like lollipops and happiness and Caitlin doesn’t think to deepen the kiss, content there in the moment, simply her and him and his chapped lips. She realises that she hadn’t seen him with a lollipop all day and month. It saddens her.

(She hopes the next time will have a stronger flavor.)

It is seconds, lifetimes, before she pulls away, a bashful smile curling her lips as she catches his gaze, it scorches her, melts her. And she understands what the girls meant when they told her to be somewhere isolated for their first kiss - or to be in the back seat. Because with Cisco she’d be weak, one touch, one word, and she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

“Alright well,” and it is cute, the scarlet tinting her cheeks. “I’ll see you in class.” And she slips out of his car, shivering as the night air hits her bare arms, rushing back to her dorm room.

He doesn't tear his eyes away from her, not when she walked back, not when she stopped at the door, unlocking it, hesitating before waving shyly at him and slipping inside. And even then he watched a closed door, amazed and in awe, still unbelieving that it had happened, that she had just kissed him. 

It was - she was - incredible. And Cisco can’t help but smile at himself,  the memory permanently branded in his mind. The feel of her lips, the shaky breath that ghosted his mouth as she broke it off, resting her forehead on his own. He wipes his mouth, as if to wipe away the grin in his face.  It doesn't disappear.

But then something white catches his eye. 

His smile widens, and it doesn't fade as he drives off,  Cisco whistling to himself a happy tune.

Chapters: 1/? Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Caitlin Snow Summary:

everything finds its place and leaves -- caitlin bandages a wounded vibe in her apartment. he does not invite her back onto the team. and in all fairness, she's too busy fixating on him, her, and all of her mistakes to even ask.