#ralphdibnyxreader

               Ralph Dibny had a long list of rules and tips for dating.  He thought about publishing his list several times, possibly making millions on what would obviously be the best self-help book to ever exist but never did, keeping it just for close friends and family instead.  Most of the time the book worked and he was on the receiving end of many thanks and praises.  Then came the question.  ‘If you wrote this why don’t you have a partner?’  Ralph hated this question because he would have to admit that the book didn’t work for him.  He was broken somehow in that department and never could find someone who could tolerate him or his antics.  It was disheartening but he had learned to live with it.  Until Y/N showed up.  

               Y/N was a meta, one interested in helping team Flash take out threats to Central City and they arrived in a flurry one day in the lab, uninvited and taking everyone by surprise.  He had entered after they had arrived and had assessed them quickly and instantly fell head over heels.  

               “Who’s newbie?” he asked.  “Why haven’t I been introduced yet?  Hello, I’m Ralph and you are…?”  Cisco rolled his eyes.

               “They just got here, and we don’t know who they are,” he said, still holding up the meta weapon.  Barry was watching, waiting to spring into action should he need too. Y/N just stood and smiled sweetly at Ralph before looking at the rest of them.

               “I’m Y/N and I found you guys, I can hack things, anything really as long as it has a technological element to it.  So I’ve been looking for the Flash and his friends for awhile now.  Then Iris helpfully brought the laptop she uses at the Citizen here and well, here I am,” they said.  The rest of the team looked suspicious but Ralph instantly knew that Y/N was not only gorgeous but completely trustworthy.  And as everyone knew he was an amazing judge of character.

               “I think we found a new team member,” he said, looking to everyone else.  He saw raised eyebrows all around.  “What? They clearly have powers and if they were here to harm us I’m sure they would have done it through our tech, not come by to have tea.  Would you like some tea?”

               “O that would be great,” Y/N said, still smiling at him.  Ralph nodded and offered his arm.  “Its nice to meet you all, can’t wait to work together,” and then they were off to the kitchen.

               Y/N became a trusted member of the team after a few weeks and soon Ralph started to try and woo them.  However, he was just bad at it.  Anytime he tried to surprise them with something sweet it fell apart. Flowers?  Pollen allergy.  Chocolates? Expired and gave them food poisoning. Teddy Bear?  Apparently the toy store had a rodent issue and the rats liked to hide in the stuffed animals.  Ralph was at his wits end on how to impress Y/N.

               What he didn’t notice while he was worrying about how to woo them was that they watched him and already had fallen hard.  In the field he was amazing, doing anything and everything he could to help his team, his family, to help anyone who needed it. And the few times they had hung out after a mission Y/N couldn’t help but notice how funny he was and how unintentionally sweet he could be.  

               “So why do you always want to hang out here?” Ralph asked one night when Y/N had shown up at his office just to visit after they had taken out a meta.  Y/N blushed a little bit.

               “I was hoping that I would get up the guts to kiss you tonight,” they said, making Ralph stare at them.

               “K…kiss me?” he said, not sure he heard right. They nodded, face a beautiful shade of crimson that he was melting over.  He made them blush like that, him Ralph Dibny, failed detective with a dumb power, this guy.  

               “I don’t know if you noticed but I’ve been…watching you over the last few weeks…o that makes me sound like a stalker, I mean watching you when you work…damn that’s not much better…I mean, I like to watch you…o God I sound stu…” Ralph couldn’t handle how adorable they were being so he rose from his desk, walked over, taking they’re face in his hands and kissed them.  It was sweet and light and held just a little bit of lust in it, enough to make them both breathless when they parted.

Barry didn’t bring you around S.T.A.R. Labs much but today you needed to find him and he told you to meet him there so you obliged.  Barry was technically your guardian when he had turned 18 and though you were in your mid twenties now his name was still on the paperwork for your car and in order to sell it he needed to sign his rights to it away.  You carried the paperwork off the elevator, looking it over instead of watching where you were going. 

“Hey watch...” was all you heard before running headlong into another guy and nearly falling to the ground.  Ralph caught you easily, his arm extending to wrap around your waist and lift you to stand again.  He didn’t remove it right away, feeling his cheeks blush a bit as he felt something click in his chest.  You stared at him as he straightened you out, feeling a similar click.

“Um sorry, I’m Y/N,” you said as if that would explain everything.  “I’m Barry’s brother.”  Ralph thought for a second and nodded  Allen had mentioned that once or twice. 

“Hi, Dibny, Ralph Dibny” he said, smirking some.  And that was all it took for you to fall head over heels for him.  That cheesy line got you and what started out as a tour of the labs turned into drinks, which turned into dinner, another dinner, first kisses, sleepovers, everything that came with dating except for one thing.  Neither of you were going to tell Barry. 

Ralph had never dated a guy before, didn’t even realize that he was interested in men until you came along and you had never explored the fact that you were interested in men before, always nervous about how your family and friends would react.  You had seen others get kicked out of the house or just have relatives and friends weirded out by it and never wanted to cause problems.

Ralph wanted to tell them, and well, more than anything he knew that this was serious and sooner or later they would find out and he would rather have it happen sooner but you didn’t budge.  And for once in his life Ralph respected that and didn’t just out you guys like he wanted.  Everything was going fine until Barry knocked on your apartment door with Iris in tow one morning after Ralph had stayed over.  You answered the door in a robe having quickly put in on as you ran out of the bedroom. 

“B...Barry...” you said, hearing Ralph before you saw him pad into view of the door shirtless and putting on his pants.  Needless to say Barry and Iris saw him hopping out of the hallway and fall over.

“Hey Allen...Mrs Allen...” Ralph said as you turned six shades of red.  Barry was staring wide eyed between the two of you and ever the mediator Iris recovered and smiled.

“Hi Ralph” she said.  “Well this is a nice surprise, I needed to talk to Y/N about a lead on a story and Barry needed to talk to you about other stuff.”  You moved aside for the two to enter and then sat on the couch.  Ralph sat next to you and both of you looked guilty. 

“When did this start?” Barry asked after a moment.

“A few months ago,” you said softly.  He nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, looking hurt. 

“He was scared of how you’d react, all of you,” Ralph said when he realized you couldn’t speak.  You smiled softly at him and he took your hand.

“Y/N, is it because its a guy or because its Ralph?  Because you can date anyone you want, I don’t care but...does it have to be Ralph Dibny?” Barry asked.  For a second you thought he was serious until he smiled wide at you.  “I’m happy for you Y/N.” 

“Thanks Barry,” you said softly.  “Um, let me tell Joe and everyone else ok?”  Barry nodded and said that they should have a family dinner at Joe’s that night if you were ok with that.  You agreed and he and Iris left to make plans, forgetting entirely what they came to talk about.

Dinner was lively and fun and finally you took a breath and stood up. 

“Um, there is something I want to say” you said.  Joe looked at you intently and smiled, loving his third son just like he loved Barry and Wally.  “Um, for the last few months I’ve been dating someone...and Joe I know you said I should find someone I truly love and care about and I think I have.”  Joe’s eyes widened.  “I’ve been seeing Ralph for months and I’m in love.”