Has anyone done a Theatre AU for ColdFlash? Cause I randomly thought of this yesterday:

The company is putting on a production of something - doesn’t matter too much what show exactly - that has a romance as basically the main plot in the narrative (and this romance is flexible with the genders of its two characters, just to fix that technicality). And, hey, everyone wants the two main leads, right? Biggest parts in the show, so there’s an obvious appeal.

Barry wants to be able to make a name for himself with this play. It’s a popular show, put on by a prestigious company, and he may be new, but he knows he’s pretty damn good at what he does. And guess what? He does get one of the lead parts! He’s ecstatic - this is what he wanted and he’s definitely not gonna squander this opportunity and absolutely nothing can put a damper on this day.

Until something does. Because he’d wanted to get to play this part with Iris - his best friend from childhood whom he might kinda be in love with, but he’s never had the guts to tell that. Hell, he wouldn’t even had had a problem if it was Caitlin, or Patty, or Cisco, for that matter! Instead, the part goes to Leonard Snart, and Barry’s pretty sure he’s ready to go lay down and die.

He hates Snart, okay? I dunno where this rivalry started - maybe they were rivals since college, or something about Len’s personality just rubs him the wrong way - but whatever the reason, it’s there (and maaybee he has a tiny little crush, and the guy’s a good actor, but it’s definitely nemesis territory, alright?). Really, Barry almost wants to give up the part...but he also doesn’t want to. It’s a big role, so he’s just gonna suck it up and deal until the production is done and over and he can move on to bigger and better things. Even if he is gonna have to kiss Leonard Snart. Many, many times over.

Table reads go fine, cause it’s just the lines. But then rehearsals start, and Barry hates every second of having to pretend like he’s in love with this guy. Well, at least Snart seems to hate it as much as he does, so they’re on even footing, if nothing else.

Thing is, as time goes on, things sort of start to change. Sometimes there’s some late night sessions, just the two of them, running through lines, the really emotional stuff that’s just their two characters. The content, plus the late hour, ends up leading to some opening up that neither of them is expecting. Some fluff, and of course some angst, because they’ve both got baggage. It’s definitely scary, and really confusing, but also...almost nice?

Come opening night and the time their actually doing performances, the kisses and the romance really isn’t too terrible, though neither of them would ever admit it to the other. Actually, it’s almost enjoyable?

Maybe they’re starting to see each other in their characters or something, too? Or maybe it’s the fact that they’re normally the last two guys to leave the theatre - what with all the audience members wanting to wait around and chat a little - and someone caved once, suggesting they go get a drink or something, but then that turns into a pretty regular thing. Whatever the reason, they’re starting to fall in love for real, and they’re falling hard.

But before things can take off, the universe throws a wrench in everything. One of them did get noticed by an even bigger company, someone doing something on Broadway, perhaps, and got offered a part, but they’d have to leave for it right now. The run for this show is pretty close to over, and this is what understudies are for, aren’t they? And both of them are pretty sure they should be happy about this - their selves from a few months back definitely would’ve been - but it’s...upsetting? Why?

They keep their professionalism on stage, but the sudden avoidance behind the scenes gets noticed really easily by the rest of the crew. Namely Lisa and Iris, who, unsurprisingly, confront their idiot brothers about this entire fiasco. Unfortunately, when it comes to communication between Barry and Len at the urging of their sisters...well, it doesn’t go great.