#Caitlin has a lot of feelings about KF

[ultrahpfan5blog]

The Flash Season 5 - Retrospective Review

Well, I finally made it to the Eric Wallace era in my rewatch. The Flash season 5 is in the rearview, but there are still 3 seasons left in the rewatch. I probably won't be caught up until like a month into the new season. In any case, season 5 rewatch was interesting. To me, season 5 is filled with a lot of faults. There are issues with the character arcs with almost every arc. In spite of that though, I quite enjoyed season 5 as a whole. Its definitely a significant uptick from season 4 because it is at least never boring to me.

I think what season 5 got right was tone. The Flash traditionally has always been the strongest when leaning into emotions. Season 3 struggled a bit with the doom and gloom tone, and season 4 especially struggled with the oscillating tone with trying to humorous and then also having some pretty dark elements. Season 5 gets the balance right, being closer to what seasons 1 and 2 were in tone. And a big part of that was the refocus on bonds between family, blood or otherwise. This season felt like the entire Flash family was very much united and at ease with each throughout the season. Obviously the center of the show was the introduction to Nora and her relationships with both Barry and Iris. The WestAllen family dynamic is one of the strongest aspects of the season. It isn't without its issues from a writing POV, but it certainly gives a lot of emotional drama and there are some good arcs for each of the characters and their relationships. Even the side characters have emotional arcs. Caitlin/KF also has a refocus on her family, with both her mother and her father coming back into the mix. Ralph feels more integrated into the team Flash dynamic as compared to season 4, Joe and Cecile have an arc of becoming a working couple together, and Cisco too has a self reflective arc about what he wants with life and about finding love. These arcs largely play to casts strengths and so they are more emotionally involving then they might otherwise be. Even the Cicada storyline is a family based storyline and there is a bit of a mirror reflection between Orlin and Grace with Barry and Nora. I also think the new Wells worked fairly well as he had his own active storyline where he investigated Nora and discovered the Thawne secret.

I also think the humor is a lot more consistent this season than it was in season 4. In season 4, it felt like the cast and writers were overdoing due to the criticisms of season 3 being too dark. Season 5 feels like the humor and heart were more smartly balanced with emotion. Certainly the Elseworlds crossover was one of the funniest crossovers because it really utilized the comedic chops of Grant, Melissa, and Stephen quite well. There are some pretty strong episodes. The show celebrated its 100th episode in this season with 'The Past is Prologue' which was an excellent episode apart from the ending result of the Cicada fight. The scenes with Barry, Thawne, and Nora are excellently acted and play a key role in the finale of the season. It was actually pretty clever. The Time loop episode 'Cause and XS' was also pretty good. The show embraces its goofy roots with 'King Shark vs. Gorrilla Grodd' which was a blast, with surprisingly decent effects for a show of its budget. I feel the finale was quite strong and emotionally moving, with a nice tease for COIE. There aren't any episodes that I particularly disliked this season, despite my issues with certain character arcs.

There are definitely some big issues with the season and the various character arcs. Starting with Nora, who has the most major character arc. While the character is overall likeable, there is an inconsistency in how she is portrayed. While she is a late 20's adult, the characterization often feels like that of someone in their late teens, early 20's. That is sometimes a little grating. She is also shown to be impossibly naive at times. Iris benefits greatly from having moved out of team Flash leader role, even though she is nominally called that a few times. But this season does feel like Barry is back in the role of leader of team Flash as he should be. Its good to see Iris being more of a journalist and establishing the CCC. However, she does have moments towards the end of the season where she again throws Barry leaving her to go into the speed force in his face and not understanding Barry's distrust for Thawne, which makes her seem a bit callous. Cisco's self reflection arc, although well acted, feels out of character for him. I didn't really buy him deciding to let go of his powers because the show didn't really convince me, in this season or the next couple, that he wanted to let go of the team Flash life. I think this story arc was partially because Carlos was thinking of leaving so they made this as a contingency plan but it didn't really work. I liked seeing Caitlin's KF origins gets explored with the re-emergence of Thomas/Icicle but what should have been a multi season arc is wrapped up in 2 episodes. And there is a tease for Caitlin's mother which never panned out to anything. Sherloque has this random romance with Renee Adler which is extremely throwaway. The character also didn't quite have the bonds with team Flash that previous Wells' did. The show struggled at times on what to do with Ralph. I think Sherloque filled the shoes of what Ralph may have otherwise been doing. So it does feel like he is in the background for large parts of the season. He is involved in the beginning, when investigating the identity of Cicada, and towards the end, when he figures out the connection between Thawne and the dagger. In between there are episodes like 'Goldfaced' where he is prominent but there aren't too many of those. Then the show also got into this bad habit of having Cecile constantly promoting realizations due to her abilities. It gets a bit annoying. Joe is absent for about half the season due to Jesse's back injury and he is missed. Barry's character is largely consistent and more matured this season. He does feel like a dad. There are times where it does feel like he cedes the lead character role to Nora this season.

I think the biggest issue with this season though is Cicada. On paper and in theory, a meta human serial killer is a great idea. It makes perfect sense to flip the threat. The idea of Cicada being an uncle who is going after metas due to what happened to his niece is also a good idea. However, the show unfortunately didn't execute the character well. For one thing, the dagger becomes an OP device and it renders team Flash consistently useless against Cicada, barring KF. So again there is a sense of repetition of Cicada constantly beating them and getting away. The show oversells the character by saying that none of the heroes across the multiverse could stop Cicada, which became quite silly given that the dagger is only supposed to work on dark matter. Then there is a Cicada II/Grace, who is not given any depth at all because she really only turns up for the last third of the season. Unfortunately, both Chris Klein as Cicada/Orlin and Sarah Carter as adult Grace/Cicada II, ham it up way too much. The background villain, Thawne, ends up being more compelling, but that is not surprising given that Thawne has been the best villain in the show's history so far.

But overall, despite my criticisms, I think the season overall retains a pretty strong emotional core and at the center of that is Jessica Parker Kennedy, who was just inspired casting to play Barry and Iris' daughter. We saw teases of her in the previous season, but here she is an absolute delight and she looks so much like what Grant and Candice's daughter would look like. Its quite funny to think that she's older to both of them but she definitely doesn't come off that way in the show. Grant and Candice both get to play more matured and emotional roles as parents this season and the WestAllen family dynamic is key to the success of the season. As always, Carlos, Danielle Panabaker, Hartley, and Jesse bring a lot of heart and humor to the table. Tom Cavanaugh now delivers his fourth iteration of Wells, and despite an unnecessary french accent, is great as always and his is at ease when playing Thawne. Its his signature role. Danielle Nicolet blends into the team and is likable. Overall, season 5 is like a 7/10.

[mosylufanfic]

Me and My Shadow

I was digging around in my files, as I am wont to do, and I found this story from last season, about 95% finished. Remember when they basically had no scenes at all together? And we were all starving for any little bit of Killervibe we could get? This is something of what I wanted to see after S4′s mid-season finale.

Just as a refresher, this takes place toward the end of the episode where Amunet Black kidnapped Caitlin, locked dampening cuffs on her. Before that happened, however, Caitlin discovered that Cisco, Harry, and Ralph all had private jokes and funny stories about hanging out with Killer Frost.

This story isn’t overtly romantic but it is about Cisco and Caitlin’s relationship at that point in the show. Title from the 1927 song, sung by oh so many people.

Me and My Shadow

Cisco peered at the power dampener Amunet Black had fastened around Caitlin's wrist. "Who designed this, the Incredible Hulk?" He tapped it. "Could it get any bigger and clunkier? Ugh. I'm so offended."

"Me, too, considering it held me prisoner," Caitlin said dryly. She waved her wrist a little, inviting him to look at the catch. It was a heavy-duty metal latch with wires woven over it in some way he couldn't quite follow. "Can we remove this, please?"

"Oh, yeah." He opened the toolkit he'd brought upstairs from his lab and pulled out some wire snips and an electric saw.

"Careful!" she said.

He paused. "It's not gonna blow up if I don't snip the right wire, is it?"

She angled her wrist. "No, but it's got spikes on the inside. It's part of the function somehow."

Now he could see them, thin metal needles piercing her flesh. A few dots of blood smeared her skin.

"Shit!" He yanked his hand away. All his poking and prodding must have been digging them in even further. Why the hell hadn't she said anything before this?

Probably the same reason she'd waited to ask him to remove it until after Dominic Lanse had been taken to a hospital and thoroughly checked over. Caitlin putting herself last again.

Another thought occurred. "Oh, fuck, it's not stabbing your veins or anything, is it?"

She touched the inside of her wrist. "No, it's just the top and sides."

"Well, that was nice of her," he said sarcastically, and got to work on the catch. The design might offend every aesthetic bone in his body, but it was doing the job very well. He could feel his own powers going a little fuzzy and wobbly, this close to it. And it also seemed to have solved the power issue he'd struggled with so much. He was going to have a look at this when he got it off her wrist.

She was quiet while he worked, and while he normally would have chattered and joked, all his lightness seemed like it was trapped underneath a boulder in the pit of his stomach.

Yelling at Ralph had helped some, but he still felt like a turd. Sure, Caitlin, the nasty, mean alter ego that you never wanted is our favorite new buddy. Yeah, we have a great time with her! We have inside jokes and everything!

He knew she knew he hadn't meant it like that. But just because he hadn't meant it didn't mean it hadn't hurt her. He remembered the look in her eyes.

And Harry had gone to apologize first. Harry! When Harry I-Can-Only-Relate-to-Other-Versions-of-Myself Wells was doing better at friending than you, that was kind of a bad sign.

He'd come for her. He'd rescued her from Amunet Black. She had to know he valued her more than Killer Frost. Right?

Yeah, he'd come for her, but so had fucking Ralph.

He glanced up, wondering how to start saying he was sorry, and found her staring off into space, looking thoughtful.

"Hey," he said, and her eyes came back around. They looked like root beer in this light, the way he liked them best. He smiled at her. "What's churning your butter, cup?"

"Just thinking how nice it was to handle something on my own for once, instead of having to depend on my mean roommate."

His stomach dropped. "Caitlin - "

She looked at her wrist. "Maybe you should leave this on."

"Leave on the spiky hurty ugly accessory? That's a hard no," he said, and snipped one last wire. "Lay your hand down and keep vewwy vewwy still," he added in his best Elmer Fudd imitation.

She smiled absently and flattened her palm to her lab table. He turned on the circular saw and started cutting through the lock. It was tough stuff, and he had to stop a couple of times to switch out the blade. Finally, the bracelet cracked in two, and he switched off the saw before it brushed her skin.

She pulled the cuff open, wincing as the spikes tugged out of her flesh, and let it clatter to the table. Now she wore a cuff of tiny pinpricks, welling with blood. It wasn't a good look, in Cisco's opinion.

"Mmm," she said, grimacing at the injuries. "I'd better get this cleaned up and bandaged." She rummaged in some drawers.

"Frost up," he suggested before he thought, and felt his stomach drop again. God. He'd stepped in it again. "Just - just to get rid of that," he added quickly. "Let her hypermetabolism take care of it."

"It's fine," she said, not looking at him as she wiped each pinprick down with a sterile wipe. "It's good. You should get along with people who are fighting alongside you." She tossed a used one, pink with blood, into the biohazard bin and pulled another one from the dispenser.

"Look, don't pretend we didn't hurt your feelings."

"They're my feelings," she said. "I'll handle them."

"Yeah, that's a skill you excel at."

She gave him a withering look. "I had a bad evening. I got over it."

"Okay, then how about letting me apologize?"

"You have nothing to apologize for. You can have friends other than me. You do have friends other than me. It's selfish and self-centered to be jealous of that."

She recited it as if it was something she'd said to herself over and over again.

"It's human to feel left out," he said. "And I was part of making you feel left out, and I'm really sorry for that."

"Yes, and I handled it." She bowed her head over her wrist, dabbing antiseptic cream on the marks. "Thanks for getting that cuff off me. You should probably clean it." She handed him a container of Q-tips and a bottle of ethanol.

He took them back to the table where the cuff still sat, dark and powerless now. He started cleaning the spikes, watching the white cotton soak up pink blood. He found he was gritting his teeth.

Why wouldn't she smile and accept his apology?

Why wouldn't she just let him feel better about seeming to prefer her darker side?

Why couldn't he just go back to thinking that she'd made peace with Killer Frost, now that she wasn't one of the bad guys, and didn't have any feelings about her divided self whatsoever?

Just like he was perfectly fine with the thought of Reverb, or any of his other evil doppelgangers that infested the multiverse. Oh yeah. No misgivings there at all.

He let out his breath and tossed the Q-tip down.

"You know," he said, "eight months ago, you never would have convinced me that there could be anything I liked about Killer Frost, but I do."

Caitlin looked up, but didn't say anything. She just watched him, silent, her face flat and expressionless.

"She's tough. A survivor. A fighter. She sees what needs to be done and gets it done. She's smart and she thinks on her feet. Every time she throws down, I swear she has three or four nifty new tricks that never even crossed my mind."

"Okay," she said. "I get it. You don't have to keep singing her praises."

He went to her and took her tight shoulders in his. "And you know what? Everything I like best about her is something she gets from you."

Her eyes met his. They were darker now.

"Tough. Smart. Creative. Gets the job done. Sound familiar?"

"A fighter, though?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not a fighter. I run and I hide," she said bitterly. "Just like Harry told me to do at Jitters. I didn't even try and bring her out until I was cornered, and that didn't work."

"Have you ever once run and hid when someone needed medical help?"

"That's different."

"I dunno if it is. That's your wheelhouse. Kicking ass is Frost's. Use the right tool for the right purpose. Killer Frost isn't always the right choice for what needs to get done."

She was quiet for a long moment. "Amunet Black said something like that."

He recoiled. "She did?"

Caitlin shrugged. "She wanted me to get the job done. She probably could have threatened me some more, but she took the logic route and pointed out why she needed me, not Frost. It worked. I got the job done."

Okay. He officially sucked as a friend. Amunet Black had figured out what Caitlin needed to hear before he had. That she, Caitlin, was valuable and valued, that her skills weren't lesser, that she was strong and effective in her own way.

He tried to make his voice light. "Much as I hate to agree with someone with that dated of a hairstyle, she had a point. We couldn't do what we do without you."

Her eyes searched his and then she sighed. Not a resigned sigh or an unhappy one. There was relief in it. As if she was letting out a breath she'd held for too long.

Then she hugged him, hard and quick. "Thank you," she said.

"Anytime," he said. "Really, I mean it. Anytime you're feeling conflicted over your morally ambiguous doppelganger, talk to me."

"It's not her state of evil or good," she said thoughtfully. "I mean, obviously I would rather she's fighting against the bad guys rather than alongside them. But it's - " She rubbed her wrists again. "It was easier when she was the bad one and I was the good one, and I had good things - like friends - and she didn't."

"I don't think either of you are that simple," he said. "I don't think anything's that simple."

She toyed with the q-tips. "The thing is," she said, brows drawn together, "I've spent my entire life trying not to show it when I'm scared, or angry, or upset, or even just sad."

"That's not news," he pointed out. He still remembered nearly a year of her flat, expressionless face after the explosion.

"Because nobody has time for that," she went on. "You know? Nobody wants to put up with that. People like a cheerful, helpful, smart little girl. Nobody likes a crybaby who can't do anything."

One day, Cisco reflected, he really was going to go find Mama Snow and punch her in the mouth. He didn't like hitting women, even the ones that hit him first, but boy, could he make an exception.

"So I tried to be cheerful and helpful and smart, and if I couldn't manage to fake any of those, I could at least push down all the bad feelings and show nothing. Until last year. I stopped being able to push things down. And in a way, it made sense that when I lost control of all my rage and my fear, that I lost you. All of you. Because that's what you get. Nobody wants you if you're like that."

He opened his mouth.

She aimed him a look. "And yes, Cisco, I know that I lost all of you because she joined forces with Savitar and was instrumental in H.R.s death and Iris's attempted murder. I understand that. I'm not stupid."

He had been going to say, she'd lost them because she'd left, but that was a fair point, too. "As long as you get there's a difference."

"I do," she said. "On a logical level. But when I realized that she was coming back, I tried to run, because I couldn't bear to lose you all again like that."

He refrained from pointing out that she would have lost them anyway.

"And then I didn't," she said. "And then I realized that you actually liked her. You have jokes together, you like fighting alongside her, Ralph thinks she's sexy. "

"Ralph tried to hit on a lamppost the other day," he pointed out. "Just saying."

"And in that case, what's the point? What's my reward for fighting down the worst parts of myself, if it isn't to keep my friends?"

"Look," he said, taking her hands. "You're going to have to figure that out yourself. I think the past year has shown that no outside influence is going to work to get a handle on Killer Frost. Power-dampening cuffs, solar necklaces, whatever it was that Black gave you - none of that, on its own, is ever going to be a permanent solution. You've got to get a handle on her yourself, for yourself, because it's the best thing for you. But while you're doing that, here's something I think you should keep in mind."

"What?"

"We like you," he said. "We like you when you're being smart and cheerful and helpful, yeah. But we also like you when you're snarly and mean, or sad, or upset. I like you. You don’t have be perfect to be our friend. You just have to be you." He waved at her up and down, trying to encompass her entirety. "Everything you are."

She swallowed hard. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he said, starting to go back to the dampener cuff. He paused. "By the way, your mom is wrong."

She looked up. "My mom?"

"Yeah. When she told you all that stuff about how nobody likes little girls who aren't sweet and nice all the time."

"Oh, Cisco, My mom didn't tell me that."

He blinked. "Who did, then?"

She shook her head, smiling at him a little. "Nobody had to tell me. All little girls know that."

"Well, they're wrong," he said.

She tilted her head. The smile got sharper; colder. "Are they?"

FINIS

[cheryls-blossomed]

I am going have to respectfully disagree that Caitlin wasn’t there for Cisco to the same extent. if anything she is the character that has been there for him the most consistently across the seasons. she was there for him when his brother died. their conversation in 505 when she reminded him that Cisco Ramon is just as important with or without vibe and how she went against her own beliefs and views about making the cure because he wanted it for a normal life and she just wanted him to be happy. she was there for him when he took the cure in 522. I feel like these moments are constantly ignored or overshadowed because of what KF did in s3, which is tiring because it’s canon that she loves him the most consistently over anyone else on the team. I hope I don’t come across as rude here.

You don't come across as rude at all, nonnie! Thank you for providing your thoughts here, and actually, you're absolutely right, and I was the one who didn't word it properly in my response to that ask, originally. What I was trying to say was that from a character-perspective, Cisco and Caitlin are extremely supportive of each other and are always there for each other, but because Caitlin gets multi-episodic story-lines, but Cisco doesn't, from a narrative perspective, it feels like we see Cisco much more as Caitlin's support system than vice versa. Even though from a character-perspective, Caitlin is supporting him and is there for him, and we've seen that in different individual episodes, obviously. Does that make sense? Idk. And re season 3: I think what I would say is that I wished the show addressed what happened there. I cannot imagine it wouldn't have come up between Cisco and Caitlin in a conversation, but because literally everything was swept under the rug, I think that's why a lot of people focus on what Killer Frost did. Add to it that during season 3, the narrative was clear that Caitlin and KF were one and the same person. It was only later that this was essentially retconned.

[wolf-555-writer]

Heating Up Part 3

Still owed you guys this one. Sorry it took, like, a little while. Hope you enjoy though! :) 

Read part 1; part 2

Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost x Meta Reader

Summary: Reader gets captured. Will you be able to survive and free yourself? While also searching for the others and trying to escape?

Word Count: 2,717

It's cold all around. Curled up, eyes pinched shut and arms covering your head defensively. You prepare yourself for impact. The impact of sharp, icy air, so cold it instantly freezes everything it touches. Generated by one Killer Frost. Normally, it wouldn't be such a problem. But you're not able to control your 'heat’ powers right now. Is it due to all the adrenaline making you shaky? Or because you're frightened as hell? Or because you let your guard down around KF, thinking you noticed something blossoming between you two?

You don't know. It doesn't matter what the exact reason is anyway, considering in a couple of seconds it will all be over...

Yet... Nothing happens. Did she miss?

“What the hell are you doing?! Let's go!”, you perceive, slowly opening your eyelids and removing your arms away from your face. Frost has grabbed you and pulls you with her. Still able to peak over your shoulder, you notice a guy knocked out cold on the dirty ground. A nasty scar on his face and one fake eye. So, she didn't aim at you but at that guy? 

“Wait- What just happened?! Who was that?”, you exclaim in total confusion as KF drags you with her, sensing her cold hand on your arm through your jacket. I’ve never been so unfocused before. You didn't even hear the guy approaching, having absolutely no clue what just went down. 

Moving towards a better lit hallway, Frost starts to explain that they (Caitlin and herself) started to work for someone real shady after leaving Central City. “It got out of hand and Caitlin reached out to ask for help. I told her I could handle it on my own, but Caitlin wouldn’t listen. And now look where it got us…”. She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Barry and Cisco both captured by our employer. Idiots”. You look at her hand and back to her. “Um… Frost, you're still, like, holding me”.

She scoffs, “I know that!”, and quickly lets go. She continues: “First we have to free Barry and Cisco. Unfortunately. Got it?”

“Yes, loud and clear”. This is not the Killer Frost you briefly met in the cold, misty woods months ago. The Killer Frost that had attacked her ‘friends’ with real rage and aggression. Angry at them and angry at the entire world around her.

She has changed.  

“And what was that thing Caitlin wanted to ask me?”, you remember, returning to the unanswered question from before the sudden ice blast. Maybe there’s a reason Caitlin didn’t ask for my help earlier at STAR Labs. Clearly made visible by the event that had just happened. You’d only be a burden. Besides, why would she choose you over The Flash anyway?

“Oh, that. She first wanted to ask for your help only. But Caity was embarrassed about the shit mess we got ourselves into”. These words make you feel happy but also slightly disappointed. She obviously could have asked you. Out of everybody, you were the last person to judge her.

“You should know, she kind of likes y-”, Frost interrupts herself. “Shhh, quiet”, she snaps at you. But… you weren't even talking? 

Both hide behind a large crate now that two suspicious men are approaching. “Can you use your powers?”, KF whispers at you, observing the guys. “No, not from this distance. But I can still fight them you know”. “I bet you can”, she answers while scanning your figure briefly.

Having decided each would take out one, Frost dives from behind the crates and attacks. You do the same and swiftly jump on the other. Creating enough momentum, you throw him over your shoulder and finish up with a high-speed elbow in his face, sending him to sleep for a nice couple of hours. Standing up again, you see KF nod at you with a grin on her face. “Impressive, (Y/N)”

Other thugs follow from the middle entrance. But this time with guns. Killer Frost pushes you away in time, both her hands placed on your chest firmly. The bullets are fired at the spot you were standing seconds when Frost harshly pins you to the wall. Her cold body is pressed against your warm one due the force she used. Warmer than usual… You heat up as her blue lips are close to your red ones. Noticing a teasing look starting to appear on KF's face when she bites her lip. Both staring into each other's eyes and Frost slowly leans in. Then you snap out of it. She has already pulled back and is currently attacking the men with weapons that are not freeze-proof, just as the men. Lucky for Killer Frost.

She knocks them out with a powerful cold blast. Too easy. And finishes by sending a daring wink your way. Impressed by the work she just delivered, Frost gives herself an imaginary pat on the back while eyeing that cute firefighter who’s with her. Who’s actually looking back at her with a rather strange expression...

“Watch out!”, you yell, sprinting towards a distracted Killer Frost, “Behind you!”. But you’re too late. Someone ambushed her. KF is now on the ground and you throw yourself in front of the guy. Anger fueling your body, you knock him out with a combo of three powerful punches and his body hits the ground with a dull thud. 

Rushing towards Frost and you take her in your arms. Her hair slowly turns into hazel brown, lips from blue to red, yet her eyes remain closed. She’s turning back into Caitlin. Set in motion by you. 

“No… Not now…”, you grunt. Your powers are unwillingly emerging again. Great timing. 

Suddenly an electrifying pain shoots through your body, originating from the back of your head. You instantly lose consciousness and black out, still holding Caitlin tight.

///

Waking up with a pounding in your head as if a hammer is hitting the inside of your skull. You cautiously open your eyes and vaguely see the silhouette of a woman. Caitlin. Her beautiful brown eyes staring at you... with a pretty concerned look. Why?

“Can you sit upright?”, she asks with an anxious voice. Carefully doing what Caitlin says, you notice that she’s wearing power dampening cuffs. Yet, you are not. They don't know your powers? Gotta admit you're not as obvious as Barry or Cisco. Perks of not having a superhero-suit, you guess. Your hands are tied though. Turning your head around to take in the surroundings that is an old, dark holding-cell. A hundred percent certain you’re still in the same building as earlier, because the smell is definitely the same.

“How are you feeling?”, Caitlin continues, now next to you with one hand on your shoulder. “I-I don’t know, maybe... a little light-headed?”. Wait- you remember. You got struck from behind with an awfully hard object. Probably got a head wound or something, hence the killer headache. You try to reach the back of your head with bound hands to inspect the injury. Man… your head is really pounding like crazy. Not surprised when you view your hands only to discover they’ve turned red. Blood.

Great. This really is the last thing you need above all the other mistakes of today...

Sensing you’re slipping away, you hear Caitlin again. “(Y/N)! Stay awake, we have to get out of here!”, she says, slightly panicking. 

“I-I… yeah, well, what do you want me to do?”, you return a bit slurring, staring into Caitlins worrisome eyes.

“Come on, let me help you up”. Weakly, you put your tied arms around Caitlin so she can support you. Both hobble toward the metal bars that confine you from leaving.

“I was thinking, maybe you could heat up the metal, so that it becomes deformable?”, she suggests with a thoughtful, calm tone.

“I-I can try”. You hesitate. Are you able to use your powers? Especially now that you’re wounded? It’s already hard to fully concentrate on a task, let alone melting a rigid material like metal. You slowly grab the bars, clenching them tight, trying to focus. Eyes closed, you can feel the iron in the palms of your hands. Heat up. 

Just heat up!

Nothing happens. The metal remains cold and inflexible. Not even remotely able to bend it in the current state. It’s not working. You open your eyes and turn to Caitlin. “It- it’s… nothing…”, stuttering as you lose all hope. You already messed everything else up today, so why did you expect this would even work? It’s useless. You’re useless. Now I understand why Caitlin didn’t ask for my help…

“No, don’t give up”. A warm hand is placed on your shoulder, squeezing you lightly. “You can do this (Y/N). I know you can”, words spoken with the most tender voice you’ve ever heard. “I believe in you”, Caitlin eases, “I trust you”. You nod slightly, feeling every word she just said when an intense warmth ripples through your body. You close your eyes once again. Inhaling deeply and focusing on the rusted metal in front of you. Exhale. Concentrating on the infinitely many iron molecules packed inside the rods. Inhale again. Blocking everything else around. And exhale. You sense the structure changing. Slowly. Softening. Shifting. And moving.  

The metal is heating up, finally, and bent into a shape just wide enough for a person to fit through. But it cost a lot of effort, considering you're badly wounded. You almost fainted, but Caitlin managed to catch you before you dropped down. Quickly escaping, you don’t even notice you’re moving and start to slip away again. Feeling a wave of nauseousness hitting you, probably also having a concussion caused by the forceful blow on your head. But you have to keep holding on, as Caitlin keeps repeating.

With blurry sight you make out a person in the distance who’s wearing a bright red suit. And wearing power dampening cuffs. It’s Barry, with next to him Cisco, also cuffed. 

“Caitlin!”, you hear them shout in unison, now feeling loss of contact with the woman supporting you. Carefully placing you in front of the cell where Barry and Cisco are held captive, she kneels down in front of you. You sense her soft hand touching your cheek.

“Try to keep your eyes open for me”, she whispers at you, “okay?”. Skin feeling cold again now that she let go. In fact, your whole body starts to feel cold. You hear Cisco instructing Caitlin to grab something, but his exact words remain a mystery to you. Maybe he knows how to take off the high-tech cuffs. Or at least you’re hoping he knows how to unlock those, because you’re in no state of freeing them too, which leaves the team trapped inside this building still. Or worse... 

“We have to get out of here! Stay with me (Y/N)”. You faintly perceive Caitlin’s words, along with the sound of several heavy footsteps approaching. But you’re slipping away again and your eyelids become heavy. Maybe... just close my eyes for a few secon-

Losing consciousness, you’re not able to hear the angry cursing and shouting along with the distressed voices of your friends anymore.

///

A headache. The worst you have ever had. Ugh, my head feels as if it's been used as a basketball... Hold on, you have to wake up. Now. You’re still in danger, as are Barry, Cisco and Caitlin. You open your eyes but shut them again, caused by the way too intense light inside… Wait-

STAR Labs?

Opening your eyes with more caution now, you catch the silhouette of Caitlin, back turned towards you, busy with some medical equipment on a steel table placed against the wall. You want to sit upright, yet all that happens is an agonizing groan escaping your mouth.

“Easy, easy”. Alerted by the discomforting sound behind her, Caitlin promptly moves to the bedside to stop you. “You have a bad concussion”. You anxiously reach for your head and feel it's bandaged up. “Relax, (Y/N). We’re safe now, alright?”, Caitlin eases. As a reaction to your disoriented state, she takes your hands in a soft grip to put them down again. “And I also took care of the wound on the back of your head. You’re gonna be fine”

“Thanks”, you say with a husky voice. Suddenly feeling guilty about passing out before the danger had passed. Before everyone was safe. Much help you provided there.

“No, thank you. You saved us”. She smiles sheepishly and glances at the floor. “You saved me. Again”

“No problem, really”, you answer right away and lock eyes with her, “I said I would always be there to help if you needed any. And I meant it”. Her smile turns into a brighter one, making her brown eyes glint in the still too intense light.

“Um, Caitlin…”, you motion with your eyes down, “you’re still, like, holding my hand”. She blushes a little and replies, “I know”. 

By now the others of team Flash have noticed you’re awake and quickly join around the bed. Iris asks how you’re feeling, glad that she called you in to help, but was also concerned when she saw your gaping head-wound when The Flash carried you into The Cortex. Cisco thanks you, and is already discussing potential suit designs with functions you probably won’t be needing. Barry just gives a curt nod, probably pissed he got captured in the first place. Then they all turn to Caitlin because Cisco has asked the question of which they’re all dying to know the answer to. Has she decided what to do now?

“Well…”, Caitlin begins with a thoughtful look, “I think I’ll stay for now. I’ve missed you guys. Missed my family”, she says while looking at the team. But does that include you? Where do I fit in?

As if Iris can read thoughts, she suddenly interrupts. “I think (Y/N) needs some rest first”, she says with raised eyebrows aimed at you. Is there some secret communication going on you’re unaware of? “So we’ll leave you to it, right guys”, Iris continues and takes Cisco and Barry with her, basically dragging the naive boys far enough away. 

Caitlin is the last to leave. She stands up and wants to let go of your hand which she was still holding. Yet, you don’t let her. “Wait, Caitlin-”

“Yes?”, she returns expectantly. Perhaps you did pick up on what Iris was trying to tell you after all.  

“Is Team Flash the only reason you decided to stay?”, you ask carefully. She stares at you for a second and answers, “Well, yes”.

“Oh...”, you mutter and avert your gaze to the floor, more than disappointed. 

However, Caitlin wasn’t done and speaks again, “Because apparently there’s this new member on the team”. You glance back at her.

“Maybe I’d like to get to know this person better”, she suggests. Is that so, you think, staying quiet and patiently waiting for the rest. “A firefighter, with heating powers”.

“Sounds like a good match”, you say with a suggestive tone, “Heat and Cold. Completing one another”.

Before you know it you’ve asked the question that has been occupying your mind for a while now, under the heavy frustration of Iris.

“You wanna grab a coffee at Jitters sometime?”. “Sounds like a date”, she answers with a soft smile, “But first you need to rest”.

Imitating a voice as if following an order, you say, “Yes, I shall rest, Dr. Snow”, when she places a soft kiss on the back of your hand before slowly letting go. Her warm touch imprinted on your skin, you watch her leave until she is out of sight.

Now all alone, you suddenly feel yourself heating up. You close your eyes and immediately fall asleep because you’re so exhausted by everything that has happened today. A warmth ripples through your body, exhausted, yes, but also happy. Drifting away in a peaceful, dreamy sleep...

The smell of fresh coffee beans and the sound of soft chatter from people enjoying a cup or two fills the cozy place. Waiting for a special someone, you’re seated on a couch way too large for one person and gaze at the entrance when the door swings open...

[turning-dreams-into-chaos]

Here’s to the Bad Guys

*Not my Gif*

Request: Hi, could you please write a Savitar x Reader where after Killer Frost's speech in 3x20 reader would figure out who Savitar is and when he shows up he would offer her a choice to take his side because he loves her and reader loves Barry who is focusing only on Iris? Reader could have powers and protect KF and Savitar from Cisco and Barry. Hope I explained it well and thank you in advance

Requested By: @kurtbastianlover

Paring: Savitar x Reader

Post Date: 6-27-19

Word Count: 3K (like exactly, what are the odds lol)

A/N: Hi! Sorry this took so long to write... I hope you like it as I have no idea if it's any good or not. Or if its what you wanted at all... Enjoy? 😂 I feel as if this wasn't one of my best pieces, but like, let me know what you all think! I may have done a lot of time skips...

- Ria

~Prompt List~

~Master List~

~Open Requests~

Requests open until July 1st

Unrequited love sucks. To sit there and pine for someone you know could never love you back. Someone who is in love with another. Barry Allen.

The same Barry Allen you've been in love with since you moved to Central City a few years after his mom's death. He was the first person you bonded with and soon you, Barry, and Iris became inseparable. But as Barry and you got closer you realized you were falling for the boy, only to see him falling for Iris. You never said anything, pining from a distance as Barry pined for Iris, hurting every time you saw them together.

But you being unloved will have to wait as right now, getting Cecile back from Killer Frost and protecting Tracy Brand was the goal. You stood behind Barry, as he tries to reason with Killer Frost.

"We're family." Barry says, only for Killer Frost to say the exact same time. Barry turned to you, both sporting an equally confused look before focusing on the girl again. "We protect each other until the end."

Again, Killer Frost joins his words.

"What the hell?" you mumble and take a step forward to be next to Barry. "How are you doing that?" Killer Frost looks at you and Barry, a smug smile on her face and you knew soon you'd be fighting.

"Savitar told me everything you'd say. You two are more alike than you realize." Her smirk somehow turned icy as you glared at her, preparing to try and fight one of your Best Friends. Your eyes turned into its purple color as you felt energy grace your fingertips. The fight didn't last long, starting when Killer Frost knocked Cisco out of the rafters with a bomb. He fell into a bunch of crates and barrels and got knocked out. You wanted to check on him, making sure he's ok, but when Killer Frost shot ice towards Joe's gun right next to you, you knew you didn't have the luxury to. You shot an energy blast at her, her dodging out of the way as it collided with the wall behind you. When she aimed her blasts toward you and Joe you got worried, only for Barry to jump in front, taking her blasts on him. Within a second, he was frozen to the ground and you were the last Meta standing, or so you thought. You aimed your blasts one last time, groaning when it missed and she struck you. But then Cisco hit her, causing her to fall. You got on your feet as Joe got Cecile out and Cisco and Killer Frost started their duel. You immediately joined Cisco, using all your energy to push her back as she flew into the wall, knocking her out. Cisco checked her pulse as he injected her with the serum and you checked on Barry.

"Are you all right?" you asked worriedly, wiping the ice off of him as he chuckles at you. He stops your hands as he smiles down at you. You couldn't help the butterflies in your stomach as his smile widened.

"I'm alright. I'm alright. Are you?" You nodded your head and he patted your arms before heading over to Cisco. You didn't watch as he left, just trying to ignore everything in you and try to check on your friend. But luck wasn't on your side as you barely took a step before Savitar sped into the room.

"My ascension is nearly at hand, Flash. As I rise, you will fall." He spoke, voice low from the tech in his suit. You just watched as his head turned to you and he crouched down to pick up Killer Frost.

One minute you were standing in front of Savitar as he stared at you, too scared to move but trying not to show it, and the next minute you were in the middle of what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Damn these villains who love their warehouses. Your breath was shaky as you turned around, taking in the sight of Killer Frost lying on the ground as your eyes widened. Caitlin. She was still in there and you knew it. You kneel next to her, feeling for a pulse and once you find one you relax a little before tensing as you feel a presence behind you. Cursing under your breath you spin around, looking up at a towering Savitar.

"Y/N..." he whispered as he pulled you up. You pushed against his hold, hoping to find a way out. He quickly notices your movements and one hand stays holding your arm as the other cups your cheek. The touch and the feeling was so... familiar, but you couldn't place it, you didn't know why you know it but it caused you to falter. "Stay with us. Join us."

You scoff as you lean away from his touch, putting as much distance between you and him as possible. "Why the hell should I join you? You're the bad guys." You heard Killer Frost let out a cackle behind you as you face her, completely unsure if you could handle yourself now she was up.

"Are you going to tell her? Or am I?" she joked as you felt Savitar pull your chin to look at him again. Your stomach started to turn as he backed away, stepping out of his suit as you stared wide eyed and mouth opened.

Barry?

Your eyes found the scars across his face as he cowered under your gaze. You never thought you'd see Savitar like this. This scared. He took a few steps closer, not looking you in the eye as your breathing quickened.

"Because you love me. And I love you. And I can't hurt you anymore." he put his hand back on your cheek and you realized why you know the touch. It was his. But it was different. Your Barry, he only gave you these touches on certain occasions, when you needed it. And yet you'd watch from afar as he looked at Iris the way Savitar is looking at you. You felt like you couldn't breath as your eyes met, and you instantly remembered he wasn't the Barry you had loved. Right?

"She doubts you." Killer Frost had sung behind you as amusement laced her voice. Savitar did the last thing you'd ever imagine as he pulled your face up, moving his lips down to yours. Your brain went fuzzy as you closed your eyes, kissing back within seconds. It didn't matter that he wasn't your Barry, It was still Barry. As you pulled apart, you kept your eyes closed, deciding what to do next. Savitar stared down at you as you finally opened your eyes, taking a step back to look up at him.

"Okay. I'm on your side." You whispered as Savitar smiled down at you.

You heard Killer Frost behind you let out a surprised chuckle. You didn't turn around this time, choosing to look at Savitar, or Barry. "Well then. Here's to the bad guys."

That's when you realized something. "You're going to kill Iris. Wait... I don't- I don't want her to die. She's my friend." You insisted, eyes falling between the two. His face dropped as he looked at you.

"You could be a god Y/N. We could be gods, together." His voice was soft as he stepped close to you, grabbing your hand with his.

You squeezed his head but shook your head. "It isn't right. She doesn't deserve to die."

"She has to die, so I can live. Live with you." You could feel Savitar tense before smiling. "I'll be back soon. Someone wants to talk." he kisses your head as you close your eyes, pressing against his touch as he pulled away, getting into his suit before leaving you and Killer Frost alone. She walks in front of you, stopping only to cross her arms. She looks you up and down before smirking. You shy under her gaze before looking in her eyes.

"Caitlin?" you whispered, hoping your friend would come back. Killer Frost just laughed before walking closer.

Her voice chilled you right down to your bones, "Sorry, Not Caitlin. Killer Frost." You didn't look away though, denying that your friend was gone.

"But she's still in there. Somewhere. That's why haven't killed yet. You can still feel her, everything that was good about her. She's still you." You knew you were right when her eyes started to turn blue before she stormed off. You let out a breath before collapsing on the floor, thinking about what you'd just gotten yourself into.

Savitar ran to Barry, finding him screaming for him in the middle of the street. "I know who you are." Barry yells before Savitar tells him it's about time. Barry walks closer, mask off as he shares what he knows. "Everything with you is about time isn't it? The past, the present, the future, you know all of it. And you know everything about me! About Joe! About Wally! Iris and Y/N!" Savitar scoffs at the mention of you, causing Barry to stop talking and watch him.

"I know more about Y/N than you do, flash." He begins as Barry furrows his brows, taking a step back as he thinks about you.

"What did you do to her? Where is she!" he screams, sweat dripping down his face as he runs his hand through his hair. Savitar stays in power, unmoving as Barry stares at him.

"I offered her a future, one you wouldn't, by my side. You couldn't see the love she held for you and you held for her until it was too late. But I see it. She's happy with me." Barry looked crushed at his words, hearing you left the team hurt him. But hearing you loved him and he didn't know hurt more. Ignoring the heartache in his chest he stood his ground, continuing his argue with the 'God' in spite of the conflict inside him. But the conflict deepened as Savitar stepped out of the suit, showing Barry that he lost you, not just to his current enemy, but to himself.

Being with the 'Bad Guys' took its toll on you. Savitar came back and told you that Barry knew, and he knew you betrayed them and you knew you couldn't go back to them. Not now. Savitar kept you close to him, never letting you out of his sight unless Killer Frost was there as well. You hadn't minded the closeness to Barry, but you refused to look at her, only being reminded of Caitlin. She was still in there, she had to be.

You sat on a stool, watching as Savitar fixed his suit. You didn't say anything as Killer Frost approached you both. You ignored them, focusing on the suit in front of you as Savitar tinkers with the metal.

"...Barry and Caitlin at it again." Caitlin says as you start paying attention. Caitlin. She said Caitlin. Your head shot up as you tried to subtly play it off, but Savitar saw through it. He glared at you before focusing on Caitlin.

"You're not Caitlin. And I'm not Barry." He points his tool at Killer Frost and you see the realization hit her face. She slipped and it just proved to you even more your friend was in there. They continued to talk, but once again you stopped listening; only hearing small tidbits as they talked about Iris' death. "What I remember is being created as a disposable life. Something to be thrown away when Barry Allen was done with me. He didn't care about me. Why should I care about his love?"

You couldn't take listening to anything anymore. You stood up and walked around, away from their conversation. Savitar and Killer Frost both watched you before carrying on, but Savitar's eyes never left you.

Days went on and soon you found yourself standing next to Killer Frost in the woods, facing Cisco as a look of betrayal crossed his face. Savitar didn't take you with him. He couldn't let you see Iris die. He knew it would hurt you too much, but you knew the truth, H.R. and Iris switched. You watched them escape when he came to save her, nodding to tell them to go. And when Iris came back you thought you failed, only for her to tell you it wasn't her. They still trusted you, even if you had joined the 'Bad Guys'. You looked between Killer Frost and Cisco, two best friends separated by good and bad and you thought back on yours. She was still Iris, he was still Barry, but were you the same Y/N?

"In order to join him as a god, I have to cure myself of Caitlin. This has to happen." Caitlin begins to take a step forward, Ice forming as you prepare yourself to fight another one of your friends, but this time its the one you had sided with last time.

"I don't want to fight you. Either of you. Y/N, how could you side with them?" Cisco's eyes find yours as you close them, letting your energy flow through you, from the purple mist flowing around your hands up to the purple hue in your eyes.

"I'm sorry Cisco. Its complicated." you apologized, trying to figure a way out of this so no one gets hurt, but it didn't look good.

"I don't want to fight you either." Killer Frost interrupts your thoughts as your purple lit eyes widened. Cisco looked shocked as well before she continued. "I wanna kill you." She immediately shots a dagger of ice at him as he dodges. You stood there, not knowing how to help but not wanting to hurt anyone. When she finally lands a blow on him sending him to the ground she turns to you, smirking as her eyes glowed. "You planning on helping at any point or are you just gonna stand there and look pretty."

You nod your head but don't speak as you had no words. You made a mistake joining them but you couldn't back out now, only making sure no one gets hurt. You hesitated before stepping towards Cisco, his eyes widen as you lock with his. Only for Savitar to arrive behind you.

"Keep him alive." he said as you try to keep from smiling, hoping no one caught on. "I need him to build something for me." You bit your lip when you realize he was done with his battle. Meaning someone died, meaning H.R. died. He didn't know yet, but once he started clutching his head, doubling over as the memories flooded back, you figured out he knew.

"She's not dead."

Yep, he knew.

" H.R. took her place." You heard Cisco let out a gasp as you faced him, giving him an apologetic look as your eyes turned back to its normal E/C color.

"That means the futures changing." Cisco points out. Savitar glares at him before marching over in front of him.

"So is yours."

You found yourself divided from your team once again, time going by faster than you thought possible. Cisco built the gun and Gypsy rescued him, Savitar tried to kill everyone in STAR labs and you felt lost. Siding with Savitar, the man you love, a version but just the same, and you just wanted to be happy, to be with him, but you couldn't. You fought alongside Killer Frost against Gypsy and Cisco, the four of you using your powers to try and hit each other, you tried to stay close, choosing not to aim for your friends. It was going fine until Killer Frost shot her ice to Cisco, not catching Gypsy aiming for her. Without thinking, you jumped in front, getting caught in the cross fire as you flew backwards. You heard Cisco shout your name as you hit the ground, groaning as you met Killer Frost's eyes, she stared at you in shock and you swore, you could see Caitlin. The moment lasted only a few seconds as Gypsy took another hit at her, causing her to fall a few feet away from you. You both sat up, facing them as they made their way over.

Cisco pointed his hands at Killer Frost as she taunts him. "Go ahead Cisco. Go bad."

"Cisco." you whisper, earning his attention before he looks back at Caitlin. "She's still Caitlin. Trust me." he listens to your words, throwing a vial down at her as Savitar comes barreling into him. You feel your heart quicken as you watch Savitar pick up Cisco before Killer Frost shoots him into a tree.

"Barry!" you yell as he gets up. He locks eyes with you as he hits a running Barry. Leaving him on the ground as he towers over him. You hear his threats as you get closer, trying to find a way to get out of this. But soon when Savitar's back was turned, Barry runs straight into his suit, thrusting him out as he hit the ground and Barry now stands over Savitar, suit and all. You knew what you needed to do.

"Stop! You don't have to do this, you don't have to kill him, and you don't have to kill anyone. Don't let darkness dictate your lives. No one wins. No one. We will find a way to get through this. I'm not gonna let you leave me. You're stuck with me." Your hand found Savitar's face, copying the actions he'd done to you. You caught his smile as yours came; finally feeling like this could work. You'd find a way.

Barry destroyed the suit, placing a hand on your shoulder, letting you know that the team would help. You gave him a hug before turning back to Savitar. You didn't have to be a bad guy or a good guy; you could just be with him. Savitar or rather your Barry Allen.

FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED!!

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED TO ANY TAGLISTS FOR A CHARACTER/SERIES/FANDOM/PERMANENT!!!

Permanent Taglist: @literal-fand0m-trash @just4muggles @saturn-aka-six @nathaliabakes @whyamihere-bro

[swashbucklery]

2019 Fic Writing Roundup

I was tagged by @amaltheaz, thanks so much!

Total 2019 Word Count: 94042 words (of completed fic posted to AO3)

Total 2019 Hits: 59944

Other 2019 AO3 Stats

Kudos: 5972 

(redacting the other stats in case too many numbers cause stress for folks)

Links & Titles to 2019 Works:

1. take me in your arms and make me (oh) (legends, darhkwu, E, 4310 words)

Nora likes romance novels, in general. They're light and they make her happy, and Mona always manages to find the very best ones to slide across to her, a conspiratorial gleam in her eye. You have to read this one next.

But Mona also seems to have a knack for finding the kinds of novels that make Nora put down the book blushing, suddenly needing to take a break. She has this gift for wandering into the living room precisely when Nora's hit a page that includes the words throbbing member or aching sex and asking her what she thinks of the book, and it's -

+

(Putting the rest of 2019 + questions under a cut because I wrote a lot of stories in 2019 and I care about how long this will be on your dash. Also this is a cool meme and I’m not tagging anyone specific BUT if you want to do it you should and you can say it’s from me!)

+

2. hike up your skirt a little more (and show the world to me) (legends, avalance, E, 1295 words)

Ava rocks her hips forward and Sara suddenly feels it against her thigh, firm and ready for her and oh, yes. She thought Ava's trousers were a bit looser-cut than her usual; thought maybe but - now she knows. She can feel it pressing up against her, waiting. "Oh," she hears herself purr. "Director."

(Or: Ava + Sara + hard packing. No plot.)

3. love me so hard ‘til it hurts (the flash, caitlin/killer frost, E, 2312 words)

It's a different kind of division than it used to be. The lines where Caitlin ends and KF begins are both clearer and less clear than they ever were before.

It used to be: KF driving and Caitlin asleep; Caitlin waking up and examining the scene. Looking for evidence; little post-it messages or a new shirt in her closet or a selfie in her phone with blue lips and icy-pale skin that she's definitely not responsible for.

Now, things aren't the same. Caitlin can feel KF at the edges of her awareness most of the time now, present but patient. Hanging out, that might be the best way to describe it. Caitlin knows that KF watches the world as Caitlin sees it attentively, picks up on things sometimes that Caitlin doesn't. Encourages her to indulge herself when she's pushing herself a little too hard (take the night off, Caity, that tension headache's not going to get any better) or she's denying herself little pleasures (pizza, Caity. We want pizza.).

(Or: Caitlin and Killer Frost are girlfriends now, whoops.)

4. the dizzy, dancing way you feel (supergirl, kara/nia, T, 3190 words)

Hey, Nia writes, typing fast so that she doesn't second-guess herself. Remember when you said I wasn't alone?

She hits send, watches the text message go from sending to sent and waits. Kara doesn't reply right away. Nia tries to be rational about it, tries to think about all the important things that Kara - or Supergirl - could be doing that don't involve answering a needy 11PM text message from her intern. How it's reasonable that maybe Kara messages her back in the morning or that they talk about it over coffee tomorrow, at work.

Kara replies at midnight, about ten minutes after Nia's given up on getting an answer and started to tuck herself into bed. Of course, her message reads. What do you need?

(or: Kara & Nia, best superhero friends to best superhero lovers)

5. you better not write this stupid song again (legends, zarlie, T, 3123 words)

"Charlie, you go check out the club and see if you can find anything out. Zari, go with her and - " Sara trails off and gives Zari a look.

Zari resists the urge to roll her eyes for about four seconds. Sara doesn't have to say the word supervise; she doesn't need to. They both know that's what this is.

Zari and Charlie are - better, together. Since the time loops. But 'better' is relative; Charlie hasn't stopped looking for all of Zari's buttons and finding them, and Zari can't quite stop herself from getting angry every time she does.

(or: Charlie/Zari, fake dating)

6. make me forget that i’m not ready for love (legends, avalance, T, 2506 words)

Sara's been here before, but not like this. The last times, she came in through a time portal. She didn't see the front door or even much of the apartment; they were tumbling directly into Ava's bedroom in a fit of giggling desire. It's only been a few months, but so much has happened to both of them that it feels like that day was years ago.

They're good at so much of this, Sara knows this. They're good at kissing, great at sex, but it still feels like there are a lot of rough edges. Like now, when Sara climbs the steps to Ava's front walk and realizes that she's never actually seen Ava's apartment door, before. She feels a sudden stab of anxiety: what if she's got the apartment number wrong. She's never had to know it.

(or: Sara and Ava, first date after the breakup)

7. say when (say when) (legends, avalance, E, 4685 words)

Sara wriggles her way into Ava's lap, positions her body in between Ava and her computer and smiles. "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure I read that if you take breaks, your work is more efficient."

"Where did you read that?" Ava asks.

Sara shrugs. "Somewhere. Gideon told me. It's science from the future, probably."

"Probably," Ava replies. She's softening now, looking at Sara like she's a little tempted. Her mouth curls into a thoughtful smile. Her free hand has closed her laptop and now she's running it up and down Sara's arm. Her touch raises goosebumps, even through Sara's shirt: even if Ava's not sure that she wants this, Sara's body sure is. "So what should we do on this break?"

8. wake up where the clouds are far behind me (supergirl, red daughter gen, G, 822 words)

She likes The Wizard of Oz the best.

Alex doesn't know that she reads it. She has a copy, bought with American money at a bookshop run by a smiling American woman who called her darling and asked her questions that forced her to lie. Oh, I loved this movie when I was a kid, didn't you?

9. there is grey between the lines (supergirl, supercorp, T, 1417 words)

Kara runs through it in her head, a hundred different ways. She thinks about it so much that her thoughts start to blend, daydreams blurring until she can't tell one from the next. In all of them, one thing is true: Lena finds out, and she looks at Kara, and for one beautiful moment, Kara feels free. 

10. only bought this dress so you could take it off (legends, darhkwu, T, 2353 words)

The thing about being a fairy godmother is this: her time is not her own.

That's why it's a curse, she sees it now. It's not the magic or the power, the tantalizing experience of having so much of it and not being able to use it. Nora's used to that feeling already. But time is infinitely more precious, and she's wasted so much of it on other people in her life. She's wasted most of her lifetime, if she thinks about it, on her father and on Mallus and on being a demon vessel and then being in dumb fake time travel baby jail to make up for all of the other time and she was so close. So close to having a life that felt like her own.

Mona's worth it, though.

Nora's not sure how she managed to find someone worth being cursed for.

11. could’ve spent forever with your hands in my pockets (legends, darhkwu, E, 3387 words)

"I want to be your fairy godmother," Nora finally manages.

Mona stops kissing her.

"Wait, does that mean you -"

Nora can't hold back from grinning. "I'm free," she whispers.

Mona pulls her into a hug that's so big and so fierce, Nora sort of can't breathe.

12. watch the sky go from black to grey (supergirl, red daughter gen but kind of red daughter/kara, T, 7951 words)

She lives. That's the most important part.

Alex tried to kill her. He betrayed her, hurt her in a way that nobody has ever hurt her before. Alex taught her many things, but the last lesson - about who she can and cannot trust - is the hardest one by far.

Kara was right.

13. thought the plans i drew were carefully drawn (legends, zari/charlie & zari/amaya & zari/nate & nate/behrad but mostly zari gen, M, 3142 words)

It's 2019. Zari is nine years old. She's at Heyworld, taking Mithra out for the very first time.

It's 2019. Zari is thirty three years old. She's standing in the library on a time ship, watching a beautiful, dumb man that she loves beyond reason fall to the ground. She's running out the door with her heart in her throat, full of love that there's barely anything in her mind but a name: Nate.

It's 2019. Zari is nine years old but she's also thirty three years old and she's rolling her eyes as Behrad takes her on a tour of a ship he keeps calling The Waverider.

14. making the weekend slide (into something) (legends, charlie/sara/zari, E, 2730 words)

Sara's at her head, stroking her hair. "Lie down, Zari," Sara murmurs. "We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"Yeah," Charlie says in return. She's got her hand against Zari's thigh and she squeezes, reassuringly. "You'd better just lie here and let us help you recover."

(Sara/Zari/Charlie, established poly relationship, d/s)

15. to feel the need of your touch (legends/supergirl, sara/kara, E, 4588 words)

"So, what'd he do?" Sara asks.

Kara's silent for a long moment. A part of her doesn't want to talk about it at all. But part of her feels like - maybe Sara's separate enough from this, maybe talking to someone about all of this would help, a little. "Oh, you know. His parents tried to take over the planet, so my friend used a special device to make the atmosphere toxic to his alien species and I had to send him into space so that he wouldn't die a slow, painful death." She forces a laugh. "The usual."

"Damn," Sara says. "I had my own whole bad ending story lined up, but - I think you win."

Kara chuckles. "I'm not sure that I'm exactly proud of my victory."

(or: Kara goes to Barry & Iris' wedding on her own. Sara hooks up with a different Danvers sister.)

16. dancing (like it was the first time) (legends, darhkwu, T, 1846 words)

"Oh," Mona says. "We should -" she begins, before she catches herself. There are so many words she has to be careful about, these days. So many easy phrases that can be interpreted as a wish instead of a suggestion, and even at the word should Nora feels her magic begin to stir.  "I could have one with you," she says, once she's taken the time to compose her sentence properly. "If you'd like."

Nora looks at the television again. The girls in the movie are dancing on the bed with towels on their heads, singing a pop song into hairbrush microphones. She wrinkles her nose. "What would we do?" she asks.

"Not that stuff," Mona says, reassuring. "Just, you know. Girl stuff."

17. please don’t ever become a stranger (supergirl, supercorp, E, 29939 words)

Lena knows.

Lena knows, because Lex told her before Kara got the chance to do it herself.

Kara knows that Lena knows because she tried to tell her, afterwards. They had an awful crying, shouting fight about it in Lena's office, the kind of fight that sticks under Kara's skin and keeps her awake at night.

(Kara accidentally crunched a handprint into Lena's desk. Lena threw Kara's phone off of her office balcony.

She doesn't want to talk about it.)

or: the story of what happens after Kara and Lena fall apart

18. as subtle as a brick in the small of my back (supergirl, lena gen but also supercorp, M, 2099 words)

She fantasizes about killing Supergirl for the first time on a Wednesday.

It's not really important, the fact that it's Wednesday. It just strikes Lena, after the fact, how ordinary a day that is.

So on a Wednesday Lena wakes up, she goes to work, she goes home and sits with her glass of wine and thinks about that interface she's been working on. About connecting those Obsidian contacts to the AI she's been developing. She thinks about that and she thinks about how angry she is at Kara for being Supergirl and not telling her and the hurt, petty part of her brain thinks: what if.

19. they whisper in the hallway (she’s a bad, bad girl) (the flash, caitlin/killer frost, M, 3836 words)

Caitlin sits, taking stock of the situation. Her bed is covered in a thin but definitive layer of ice, steam rising as the cold from it hits the heat of her bedroom. Judging from the pool of icy water underneath her, soaking through her pyjamas, her bed has been frozen for a while. Long enough for her body heat to partially melt it, at least. Lying next to her, snoring gently, is Killer Frost.

"Impossible," Caitlin whispers. The room and Killer Frost say nothing.

(or: Caitlin and Frost finally get their own bodies)

20. look through the windows of this love (even though we boarded them up) (supergirl, supercorp, E, 8511 words)

Lena gets out of bed. She's wearing her pyjamas, and they're the ones she went to bed in - silk pants and a camisole - but that seems to be the only familiar thing in the room. There's a suitcase open by the window. Lena walks to it, rifles through the top layer. They feel like things that could be hers, in her size, but none of them are pieces she actually owns. There's a sweater on top, black wool, and she slips it on over her pyjamas to keep warm while she explores.

On the table is a binder, leather with a gold-embossed logo: The Stardust Inn. She flips through it. It looks like a hotel directory, but she's never heard of the inn that she's apparently staying at, or the small Canadian town that the directory tells her is 30 minutes away by car. "What the hell is this?" she whispers to herself.

Favorite Fic

I cannot choose a favourite, I love all my children equally.

I think the stories I’m proudest of that are a bit less obvious were thought the plans I drew were carefully drawn, which was birthday fic for @falsealarm that I worked super hard on, and my Daisylinda feelings treatise watch the sky go from black to grey.

Hardest Fic

Ohhhh my god please don’t ever become a stranger by a long shot. This fic was important to me and I’m so so glad I wrote it. I’m really proud of it as a work and also of the response it’s gotten but oh my god it was SUCH an effort. Writing the hard stuff between Kara and Lena was hard, I tend towards writing softness and the reason I wrote that fic was because I wanted to give them the soft ending they deserved, but wading through the hurt to get there was really difficult. I’m glad that I persevered and gave myself a deadline, but focusing on getting that story out definitely meant that I didn’t write fluffier, “easier” fic as much as I wanted to this summer.

Do you plan on taking prompts in 2020?

I mean, yes and no? I always love getting prompts because I love ideas and I love talking about stories, and ask box prompts are kind of the best way to talk about stories with strangers online. I don’t think I’ll ever write every prompt I get, though - I’m really selective, because I write best when I’m enjoying myself and don’t make writing “work,” and pressuring myself to fill every prompt tends to turn fandom into work.

What was the best thing about 2019?

Getting back to enjoying Supergirl! I fell back in love with shipping Supercorp the way that feels good for me and it was so fun. I wrote way more fic about Kara than I’d ever expected to and that makes me really happy. Talking fandom with @falsealarm and my Darhkwu kindred spirit @zaritarazi. Feeling excited about multishipping.

What was the worst thing about 2019?

Honestly, I feel really good about 2019 writing-wise. I think I had more stories to tell and I wish I’d been able to strike a better balance in the later part of the year bc I have a lot of Legends fic in my heart that I want to write that kind of got eclipsed by finishing please don’t ever become a stranger. OH NO the worst thing was that weird troll who hated Darhkwu who left patronizing “comments” on my fic. FUCK THAT GUY, Nora and Mona are MAGIC together.

Any last thoughts for 2019?

I’m really proud of how much I’ve written - counting some non-AO3 stuff I broke 100K words of writing this year, and considering how busy things were for me personally I’m happy that I was able to keep finding time to tell stories.

Goals for 2020:

Getting back to writing Legends now that MY TIME NERDS ARE COMING BACK. I have like. . .three Avalance fics so-close-to-done including a 5.8K word unfinished draft of birthday smut and I want to get my words out with them. And also more Darhkwu and I’m SO EXCITED for Zarlie 2.0 and just. . .all of it.

[raviposting]

send me a tv show/book/fandom and i’ll say the top 5 things i’d change about it - the flash

Ooh this is fun because I haven’t caught up in aaaaages but let’s see. 

I think for the Killer Frost/Caitlin storyline, they eventually found their stride with her but the initial execution was a bit off. It felt like they couldn’t decide whether KF was a separate entity from Caitlin or if Caitlin was fully KF but letting her grief/rage overpower her. It looks like they’re going moreso with separate entity that was caused from Caitlin’s grief (+ the meta-ness of it all lmao) but I feel like they really could have shown that better early in the beginning

Can we remember Iris is a reporter lmao 

They also didn’t do nearly enough with Wally as they could have and that was disappointing

I love love love Nora (from what I’ve seen lol) BUT cowards! Give me the Tornado Twins! I want Don and Dawn; I get it it’s stupid, fine, name Dawn Nora instead but come on give me the twins 

I don’t necessarily think Caitlin and Iris need to be best friends with each other, but it’d be especially nice seeing them having friendships outside the group - especially female friendships. Iris’s friendship with Linda wasn’t expanded on, and Caitlin has no dynamics with anyone outside of Team Flash it feels like (and honestly? Besides Cisco I feel like a lot of those dynamics are kind of hollow) and I want to see them interact with other people

send me a tv show/book/fandom and i’ll say the top 5 things i’d change about it

[snows-labcoat]

Love Like You -Ch. 2

Summary: The moments Caitlin/Killer Frost reflected on in the original, more in depth. (spin-off of part 1) Cisco’s phone call, retold as you two lay together in bed.

Pairing: Caitlin Snow/KF x f!reader (platonic Cisco x reader, platonic killervibe)

Read: chapter one

~~

My phone began to ring, about a month after I left. You know who it was? Yeah. It was Cisco. Do you... know what he called to tell me? When I heard that I was causing you that much pain, I almost immediately came back to Star Labs. No-- It wasn’t that I didn’t love you enough. Please, don’t think of it like that. I love you more than anything I ever have in my whole life. I just-- I’m not good at relationship stuff. Not since Ronnie, you know that. Please be patient with me.

“Cisco?”

“She’s crying.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s crying, Cait. On the floor of the speed lab.”

“...I’m sorry--” 

“No, Caitlin. You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. Have you really not figured it out yet?”

I didn’t know how to respond. My heart physically ached at the idea that I hurt you. No no, you don’t have to apologize, I should’ve realized it sooner.

“I’m cryokinetic. Not a mind reader.”

“Caitlin-- she’s in love with you.”

When he told me that, there were so many things I wanted to say-- to do. Please believe me when I tell you that I wanted nothing more, than to hold you like you held me. I was terrified of hurting you. You have been my safe place ever since we met and I didn’t believe I could be the same. I had already hurt so many people, and the idea that I could hurt you— I was barely able to live with it.

...Knowing I did hurt you— I couldn’t live with it. Hey, please don’t cry. I’m okay now. Don’t blame yourself. The ordeal with Killer Frost brought me to a really dark place, and I pushed you away. I pushed the one person who accepted every aspect of me out of my life. That is my fault.

I never thought I’d end up with you by my side again. I was afraid that you’d hate me. ...I know, I know— dumb of me to think you could ever hate me, but I only had Cisco’s words to go by.

I guess you’re right. You showed me time and time again how altruistic and loving you are. Sometimes I get so focused on these little details that I forget to see what the big picture is and how they all fit together. Or if they even fit together at all.

“Wait— She...”

“Yes. She has been since the day she wound up in Star Labs. She believes in you so much. Have you ever noticed the way she talks to you? How she supports you? She loves you. We all believe you love her too— but are you gonna throw something good away?”

“Cisco— it’s not that easy. I need to put myself first sometimes.”

So yeah— I was a little upset at first. I knew it wasn’t you necessarily saying that I was being selfish. I know you understood that I needed this. You just— felt heartbroken. Our relationship was always more than just platonic. Even if we never acknowledged it back then. Cisco was just trying to be a good friend. I know he wanted me back too, and of course you were the way to bring me back. It just wasn’t time yet.

“This isn’t the first time, you know?” He spoke up after what felt like hours of silence.

“The first time...?”

“The first time she’s cried. She thinks we don’t hear her late at night. Since she’s had to stay in the lounge since she’s gotten here whenever she wasn’t sleeping at your place. I can access security feed from wherever.”

“So you spied on her?”

“No. I never actively chose to watch. But I got a security alert one night. She unlocked and went into your med lab. I was curious. But all she did was just cry. She cried and cried. I had to breach over there because her meta abilities were acting up. Her body was freezing. Then it was burning up. I lacked the abilities to control her thermal temperature. Barry had to come hold her while vibrating his body at the right speed to get her body back to normal.”

No, you were completely justified in your upset. It wasn’t just that I had taken a break from team flash. I shut you out. I had threatened your life, I know you say it wasn’t me. But it feels like nobody ever held me accountable. Even if I believed that, everyone forgot that Caitlin Snow could hurt people too.

I hurt you. And we have to acknowledge all of this if we ever hope to move forward. Because no matter how understanding and loving you are, whether or not you realize it— the emotional damage that I caused every time you confronted Killer Frost— that will always change our dynamic.

“She doesn’t want anybody else, Caitlin. After that night, I would check up on the monitors every once in a while. Most of the time, she was busy writing in a journal. After a particularly rough night for her, she called me. She begged me to vibe where you were but I couldn’t. The only thing I could do was listen to her”

“You know what she said to me while Killer Frost worked with Savitar, Cait?” He spoke after a lack of verbal response. All he heard was the intake of breath.

“Before you regained control, time and time again where some believed you were lost to us forever, she would fall to her knees and beg. She’d beg, Caitlin. I can’t remember a time when her eyes weren’t red and puffy from the countless times she spent crying over you, even before you went on this break.”

“What did she say?” Caitlin’s voice came out soft. It came out worried.

“She begged us to give you chance after chance. Because every time she confronted you, you let her go. Every time she spoke from her heart, she saw your eyes flash in and out. She was there to see that you were not lost to Killer Frost yet. She believes in you, Cait. Don’t lose the best person for you.”

Cisco continued to tell me about the things you’d do, he told me about the time you had such a bad episode of sleep paralysis that it gave you an anxiety attack. He told me how the only way to get you to calm down was trick you into thinking I was talking to you, because I was god knows where doing god knows what.

He told me how somebody asked you on a date, and you couldn’t bring yourself to go because she —and I quote “isn’t Caitlin.”

He said you shut the team out, that it all started when killer frost took over and started to work with Savitar. You stopped talking unless it was work related. You rarely smiled, even with Cisco trying to joke with you. You became me when Ronnie died.

I don’t want that for you. You deserve so much happiness. I find it hard to believe that I ever provided that much for you, but still. I never want to let you go, ever again. I know 6 months was a really long time, and I should’ve come back sooner. But I am back, a better person. In control. This chance to rediscover myself and figure things out is what I needed. I know you understand that. But I also know it’s not that easy to act like it didn’t still hurt. I don’t expect you to.

You know... I used to listen to your voice. Even when I left. Because you insisted on sending me voice messages instead of a normal text. I would lay in bed and I could hear you singing to me, with the song you played for me on piano for the very first time.

I think about the times you were my shoulder to cry on, how easy it was— how easy it still is; to be vulnerable with you. Nobody has ever made me feel more at home. You bring out the best in me,, and I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m taking advantage of your heart. I want to return just as much as you give, if you’ll let me.

Don’t be silly— I’m in love with you. Not just with what you do for me. Our lives right now— is like being in a constant hurricane in the middle of the ocean. Sometimes we get pushed under and are oblivious to what’s happening above. Everything feels peaceful. Eventually though, reality hits. We are not normal people, and I know that. But being with you— it’s fresh, undiluted, and pure. The kind of love where just brushing hands makes you blush. I’m not willing to lose that, and I can’t believe I almost did. You make me feel like we could just watch the waves, rather than be trapped in them. I know I’m not always good with words— but you are. I admire you for so much.

—I found myself dreaming of you. A lot.

Sometimes just a part of you. Your hands. How they’d play the piano for me, the way they’d play with my hair and rub my back while I cried. How they’d hold mine when I got too cold.

I missed that. I was always so concerned that if you got too close, I’d freeze you. You never seemed to care, though.

You seemed so content to freeze to death as long as I was next to you. Does that still ring true?

Of course it does— because you are extraordinary. You’ve always loved in such a way that’s ineffable. Insurmountable.

We just need a little patience. I’m sounding like I’m done growing, but that’s far from the truth. For now though, can we just hold each other like we used to? I would think about the nights you would sleep over. How you would sing me to sleep. The times you would help me organize and clean my lab. Love is a science. I should’ve realized that sooner. In science, we don’t keep secrets. I know you disagree with that statement but it’s the easiest way for me to understand feelings. I don’t want to treat us like a science fair project, that’s not what my goal is. I just— I can’t lose you again.

“Is she okay”

“How do you want me to answer that?”

“You’re calling again, the third time this week. None of the other two calls have been to just check up on how good ole’ Caitlin Snow is doing”

“The truth is, Caitlin— she’s hurting. She has been since Savitar. I don’t know how many times I can keep calling Barry to hold her so her thermal abilities don’t cause her to overheat or freeze herself.”

“Does she still have my sweater?”

“The star labs one? Yes. She never really wears it, you know?”

“What?”

“She just holds it close. When she’s sleeping, or just sitting in the cortex with us, her arms are always cradling it close. She seems to just, lean into it.”

He sent me a video clip from the security feed of you crying. It was 3 am, and your face was buried in that sweater. He said you stopped playing Pokémon with him. You threw yourself into work, just like I did. I’m glad Cisco was there for you, though.

You always put on this facade, during the day. Cisco says everyone could see right through it. That didn’t bother you, though. You kept on working, only letting it out when you thought everyone had gone home for the night.

Please, understand that I never meant to put you through so much.

“I’m coming back, Cisco”

You brought me back. You keep me grounded.

I’ll try my best to take away the pain, please just kiss me like we’ve always wanted. Make me forget. Rational decisions and science out the window, I just want to feel your hands holding me again. I want to love like you.

[killervibe]

What do you think Killer Frost’s are feelings toward Cisco

I think she cares for him a lot. Has a weird way of showing it though. 

If you ask me, Killer Frost has a ranking for who she cares about. 

1. Caitlin (I’m a firm believer in KF being Caitlin and that they can still merge. This is Caitlin’s Id mixed with weird dark matter/Thomas Snow crap. Since Killer Frost came from Caitlin). She’s the one caring for herself

2. Cisco 

3. Ralph-Iris-Barry (in that order)

4. Everybody else. 

[sophisticatedloserchick]

Thawne and westallen were great. Don't think Cisco is leaving the show because Kamilla works for Iris. Going to suck without his powers and Crisis still happens. About CS/KF, I had a convo with a close friend one time about her writing, and he said that we Iris fans may not like a lot of the decisions the writers make, but you can tell they like writing for her vs CS. What do you think?

I’m really hoping that Thawne will be the focus of the first half of season 6. He’s just so good as a villain. 

I have a feeling that Carlos will either come back for 6A then leave at the end of it or throughout season 6 his role will be greatly reduced. There was a finality to Cisco’s story in the finale and him losing his powers makes it seem like they’re giving him an exit. But I guess we’ll have to see. 

Oh without a doubt the writers are more interested in writing for Iris. I won’t pretend that writing has always been good for Iris, or that they need to do a better job at fleshing out all the aspects of her character’s life. But when you compare it to how Caitlin is written the difference is startling. 

I’ll be real honest when the Snow Family story was announced I thought we’d get at the very least 3 episodes dedicated to them but I was prepared it would be more. Instead what we got was two episodes extremely far apart that had critics agree it was some of the worst writing the show has ever done. Add on this Cicada mess and its even worse. Maybe the writers didn’t like the pizza they got...

[ultrahpfan5blog]

The Flash Season 4 - Retrospective Review

After having watched season 3, I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the season. It definitely went up some notches when it came to its overall quality. Season 4 was one of my least favorite seasons of The Flash when it first aired. Rewatching it I feel like its still a significant step down from the first 3 seasons. There are definitely some good character work in the season and the villains are fairly decent but overall it is a pretty dull season.

The season has a lot of obvious issues. Firstly, the beginning of the season is another missed opportunity to explore Wally taking over as the Flash. They made Barry's decision to go into the speed force as so final that it can't help but feel like a cop out to have him be brought back so soon. I get that this is Grant's show but they maybe could have done a couple of episodes of him in the speed force while Wally takes over as the Flash in central city. Wally in general is treated quite poorly after having so much build up in season 3. I don't know how much it was they show's decision and how much it was Keynan's decision to be phased off the show, but I wasn't a fan of how it was handled. The show also shortchanges what season 3 set up for Caitlin/KF. The show promised a unified version of Caitlin and Frost and instead it reverted to a more conventional split personality story. The show also started making Cecile a more central character and gave her those psychic abilities. In all fairness, they weren't a problem in this season but they were meant to be temporary, but the show in the future started using as a crutch in later seasons. The biggest character issue for me was with Iris. Season 3 did cast her in a bit of a damsel in distress role but this season basically put her into a role which she was completely unsuited for. The fact that the show's writers were struggling with coming up with something for Iris to do was very apparent. But by plugging her into the team leader role, it made the whole thing even stranger as Iris spends almost the entire season doing nothing outside of team Flash stuff. I think this season definitely played a big role in the polarization of the character. There was the whole 'We are the flash' stuff, which I know was intended to be a metaphor, but came off as unintentionally hilarious and ridiculous. Cisco probably had the strongest season out of all the existing supporting characters but it was a shame that his relationship with Gypsy was cut short because Jessica got a regular role elsewhere and she wasn't really available. Its disappointing because Carlos and Jessica had good chemistry. Trejo as Breacher was an entertaining addition.

Tonally, the show seemed to take the criticism of The Flash season 3 in the wrong direction. In the initial few episodes, it felt the cast and the writers were trying to force the lighter tone of the show and it just didn't work. Some of those therapy session scenes were just cringey when they should have focused on the dramatics. Thankfully the season stabilized tonally after a few episodes. I think the entrance of Ralph Dibny helped elevate the season significantly. I remember at the time, people really hated Ralph because he was uncouth and inappropriate, but that was kind of the point. I do think that Ralph, like Julian in the previous season, kind of brought a different energy to the show and I think the season's strongest element was the evolving relationship between Barry and Ralph. I liked that show gave Ralph and that dynamic a very full arc, starting at their relationship being very antagonistic to becoming a more mentor/mentee role, to finally becoming friends who truly loved and cared about each other. I liked that Ralph was not given a clean cut hero arc. He was scared for his life when he found out he wasn't invincible, and he was scared of Devoe and was hiding in the basement and lashed out at others. It made him all the more human. I also liked Barry as the mentor this season. I think they did a better job of Barry being a mentor to Ralph than they did with him and Wally in season 3. I felt Barry was more mature and his heartbreak to losing Ralph to Devoe was definitely one of the season's more affecting scenes. I also quite enjoyed Harry's arc, especially in the back half of the season. I liked that the season showed Harry struggling with not being able to outsmart the thinker and it backfiring on him, but him learning acceptance and gaining a balance by the end of the season. His brain degradation was heart breaking to watch and the Cisco and Harry dynamic was particular strong in the season.

The villains for the season were a bit of a mixed bag. I think the Devoes were overall fairly interesting villains and it was refreshing to have a non speedster villain who isn't a person who is intrinsically involved with team Flash. I quite liked the idea of the Devoe duo being a villainous counterpart to WestAllen. However, while the villains are good in concept, Clifford Devoe just ended up being too OP and the season got dull as a result. The problem with having a villain that is super smart is that everything ended up being a repetitive. Team Flash attempted to save a Bus meta, Devoe outsmarts them and takes their power. This happens again and again and team Flash literally never gets in a win until the end of the season. I think the Devoes' would have worked as a half season villain when some of the repetitiveness would have been cut down. Marlize Devoe was a pretty good character and I liked that the show showed how the relationship between her and Clifford turned toxic and how she finally turned away from him and helped team Flash defeat him. The standalone villains are fairly forgettable. There are some Bus metas that stand out, like Rebecca Sharpe/Hazard. A few Bus metas recurr as Devoe takes over them. Katee Sackhoff as Amunet is one of the other major recurring villains and there is some fun to be had with her.

This season never really got a really consistent run of good episodes. I would argue that 'Enter Flashtime' is one of the strongest episodes the show has done. The COEX was probably the best crossover of the Arroverse, though I would argue that the Supergirl episode felt most like a Flash episode in the crossover. I liked Elongated Journey Into Night' as well as a few of the prison arc episodes were pretty good. I think 'Lose Yourself' and 'Fury Rogue' were pretty good and the finale was solid with an interesting tease for the future. But there are a lot of episodes that are pretty meh. 'The Trial of the Flash' was pretty silly because the entire trial was predicated on pretty dumb arguments. Some of the episodes in the back half of the season where Devoe keeps taking over the bus metas are pretty meh.

The performances are all pretty good. Grant has a few episodes where he gets to really stretch his chops like in 'Enter Flashtime' and 'Fury Rogue'. Tom Cavanaugh as Harry is always a delight. Carlos is great as and continues to provide a good chunk of the humor. Jesse L Martin is always reliably solid as Joe. Candice Patton does a good job with what she had to do. Danielle Panabaker gets to play dual characters again and clearly seems to relish playing a softer version of KF. Hartley Sawyer brings some Jim Carrey like energy to the show. Kim Engelbrecht and Neil Sandilands leave a suitable impact as Marlize and Clifford. They actually have pretty good chemistry together. Keiynan Lonsdale doesn't have much to do in the handful of episodes he appears in. Katee Sackhoff has some fun as Amunet. Danielle Nicolet also starts having a more regular presence this season and has some fun with her abilities. There are some returning guest stars like Jessica Camachao, John Wesley Shipp, Violett Beane, and Wentworth Miller who are a welcome presence. Jessica Park Kennedy has a handful of guest appearances, teasing her major role in season 5.

Overall the season is definitely disappointing. There are better seasons of the show that have come before and better seasons that will come after. It did feel like a transition season. I will say that the season has one of the best Flash suits on the show. Looking forward to rewatching season 5, which I had enjoyed more than a lot of people, when it first aired. Season 4 ranks a 5/10.

[thecollege--dropout]

i swear it’s worth the read and a lil funny 😂

“iRiS oNlY hAs 21 MiNuTeS lEsS tHaN nOrA”

“iRiS aNd BaRrY aRe StiLl ToUcHy AnD lOviNg WiTh EaCh OtHeR”

when there was nora/iris angst, iris was very present but were iris fans enjoying that? NO! nobody enjoyed seeing nora be rude to iris for 5 damn episodes for some shit that was easily resolved by her jumping off a fucking building. cut to they’re kumbaya-ing and we still only see them for 5 seconds together. not to mention that it’s always iris/nora and barry/nora. they never get to parent together or do anything besides that failed breakfast in 5x04, IF they did have dinner in 5x03 (we didn’t see it) and now 5x11. all their moments include team flash (i bet doctor snow knows how long the entire westallen/horton clan takes to shit bruh and how many times a day they go 🤦🏾‍♀️)

every time iris is on screen it’s in front of the desk at star labs. don’t the newspaper come out every day? don’t the news air every day? shouldn’t she be writing to post on her blog every day? her blog is about all this superhero ish and whatever else (jewelry theft apparently) and there’s plenty of that every episode so what’s stopping her from doing that EVERY episode? they shouldn’t be working this hard to give iris a journalism arc. the stories literally write themselves. spin was there for an episode and wrote more articles than iris has in 5 seasons (lmaoo i’m wyling but did i lie 😭😂😂😂) she’s an investigative journalist and barry is a csi, how are they not running around the city fucking shit up together? ya know what, forget barry right now because i don’t want to make this a westallen thing yet.

i want her to stay at star labs because yt people hate her there but free my bitch, let her go roam the streets. i don’t understand why she can’t do both. it’s clear these writers can’t walk and chew gum at the same time because they can only focus on one thing at a time, BARELY. which leads to the second thing..

if i started the flash in season 5, i’d honestly think iris & barry were just coworkers who happen to be taking care of a grown person. or like that movie life as we know it where the parents died and left their kid to their best friends and they had to live together and raise the kid. my guy friends and i act more married than iris and barry 😭 even the ones i don’t really fuck with. apart from 5x05, there’s been nothing to indicate they’re a YOUNG, MARRIED, and “IN LOVE” couple.

i get that they’re parents now, BARELY, but why does that stop them from being iris & barry? they don’t even talk. why didn’t iris know that cecile was gonna be at court and barry had to go? do these people live in the same house? sleep in the same bed? can they GO HOME! can they have these “moments” in their HOME that they made a big deal about? they’ve graduated from the cortex to the balcony like bitch go home. it’s dark outside and you’re not getting paid for overtime, go home.

i’m not saying they should be knocking boots all over my screen (this is not riverdale, thank god) but shit, how are they suppose to have nora? or any child? minus barry’s cocky lil smirk in 5x09 that i guess is suppose to hint that they be getting it on, i, a grown adult, am suppose to believe they gon have kids any time soon? are they gonna have them hug in the bed and then say guess what, we pregnant? bruh 😂😂😂 lmaoo what if they do that 😭😂😂😂😂 i’m blowing up cw lmaoo

idk, a lot of these scenes feel incomplete or something. he was locked up in the meta place (why can’t i remember what that thing is called rn) for 24 hours and he came out and they looked at each other like, well buddy i’m glad you’re free 😂 iris complimented him tonight in 5x11 and he turned around like, enough of that, how bout dat cicada doe 🙃 last time they kissed was 5x05 in a rushed ass kiss that didn’t look like it was suppose to even happen. idk like something def lacking. they doing the bare minimum as a married couple, BARELY, and it’s weird to see.

in closing lmaoo, she’s 21 mins behind nora and about 30 mins ahead of caitlin (prob less when you add kf scenes) but her scenes don’t feel like they mean anything. they feel empty to me. like we get one good scene per episode and that’s with all the bs we had to endure in the first 5. it feels like nora is overpowering and taking over but it’s because all her scenes are with barry and we can’t see her bonding with iris, a mother she doesn’t know. she doesn’t know this iris. it’s a completely different person so i don’t understand why she’s not trying to get to know her too. where is iris’ point of view about how she feels with barry going missing? nora came to try and stop that but she hasn’t done a thing to prevent it? they’re just carrying on like they don’t have a care in the world. like nora isn’t from the future and fucking up the timeline with an impending disappearance/death coming. unrelated, cisco honey, i’m sorry they hate poc in the flash writers room 😭

[cheryls-blossomed]

so I saw this sb post on IG I really wish I didn't but it did make me think. barry was able to tell caitlin was off when she was dealing with killer frost stuff and immediately get her to turn from kf back to cait, yet couldnt figure out it wasn't iris for 5 weeks. idk how to even be okay with that in my head now. does he even know her at all? like that's such terrible storytelling and im really frustrated. "crisis" is a trash excuse for the show to use after 20 years of being best friends

Okay, I’ve seen these posts from SBs before, and they’re blatantly ignoring context. Could season 6B have been a lot better written? Absolutely. But these are blatantly false comparisons, not least because these posts are very disingenuous about what actually happened during 3x07.

Barry didn’t know Caitlin was dealing with Killer Frost stuff. Cisco was the first person to know something was up, and then Caitlin reveals to him about what’s going on first, and for an episode, it was just Cisco and Caitlin dealing with it, after Caitlin came back from her mother’s. Caitlin told Iris, Joe, and Barry later on that she had cryokinetic powers at the end of 3x06. When she started to go full Killer Frost in 3x07, everybody knew that she wasn’t herself, because she was literally openly icing cameras in the precinct and kidnapping people. If they didn’t know something was up, then that would be really alarming, lol. This was not some personal Eureka moment for Barry. Every one of them knew she wasn’t herself in that episode, and Barry had literally had to be told that she had cryokinetic powers along with Iris and Joe in the previous episode. Cisco had already vibed that he and Killer Frost were going to fight a whole episode ago. Like this is an absolute false comparison. Yes, he talked Caitlin down and got her to turn back to Caitlin. Guess who also did that? Iris, a whole season later, when she talked Killer Frost down from killing Amunet. And Julian talked Caitlin down in 3x12, when all Barry could think about was Iris. So, this isn’t some unique thing to Barry that he was able to do. Cisco is the only person who was able to effectively bring Killer Frost back after she’d gone full-on villain, though. And he didn’t have to say a word to her. His life was threatened; Savitar was about to kill him; Killer Frost saved him and that was the moment she turned against Savitar.

Season 6B is a completely different set of facts. Iris is trapped in the Mirrorverse, and she is switched out with an imposter. Mirror Iris could make great pancakes and could manage to crack a whole wine bottle on a man’s head, all of which as we know do make Barry very suspicious, but other than that, Mirror Iris is very, very careful about what she does and says in order to keep up the charade of being Iris. When he later confronts Mirror Iris, she is able to put up a plausible enough argument to throw him off her trail, and Joe, in the precinct later, while completely well-meaning, ends up accidentally and unintentionally gas-lighting Barry. We are not given many glimpses into Barry’s headspace between 6x12 and the end of 6x16, and I do think this was to build up suspense, but I understand that this was very frustrating. We can see, though, that there’s clear distance between Barry and Mirror Iris and that he feels it very viscerally. I stand by the fact that there was too much filler nonsense and that’s why the Mirror story-line was so slow-moving, with the biggest problem being of course that there was not enough focus on our Iris and her investigations in the mirror. However, what I do think was genuinely poor writing was the fact that Mirror Iris’s speech to Barry at the end of 6x14 was not the so-called Eureka moment for Barry. This speech was so far removed from anything that Iris would say, and quite frankly, it would have been a much more compelling character study for that to have been the moment Barry realized what was going on and not the final scene in 6x16, which was quite frankly just contrived drama so that Barry would realize what was up. Mirror Iris becoming so reckless so fast, after she’d been so meticulous, in 6x16 never made an ounce of sense to me.  

However, Barry did have a personal Eureka moment, when Mirror Iris threw him out of the loft, and as he’s walking down the corridor, his fist clenches, his watch is turning red (and stays at red), and he has an expression of suspicion and anger more than heartbreak. That’s the moment. And he’s clearly been piecing together his suspicions for weeks; we just did not see it onscreen until 6x17. But when he shows his board to Cecile, we see how he’s amassed all of his suspicions and he’s been working in overdrive, formulating different theories, and eventually this leads him to ping the GPS on Iris’s phone on the day she went to McCulloch Tech. Thus, he realizes something happened to her that night. Think about it: that’s a lot of work and lot of pinpointing, and the vast majority of people would not have been able to figure that out. He is right on the dot. He was able to do this, because he knows Iris like she is his soul, like she is his heart. So, while I agree that Crisis is a poor excuse and while I agree that the writing in season 6B could have been a lot better, I disagree with the notion that Barry doesn’t know Iris, based on this arc, because this is absolutely untrue. 6x17 demonstrated that fact very clearly.

[agentmarymargaretskitz]

Since I love pain, how about KF! Barry verse with 165. I miss you and I miss her for Cisco and Barry? (or Wally and Barry would work too) :) You can probably guess which moment

(I’ve neglected this for so long, I’m so sorry)

Cisco exhaled as he stepped out the breach into the alley. Coming to the seedier part of Central City was something he wouldn’t normally do, but this was Barry. He’d wade through a pit of zombies to get to his friend, even if he was determined to be isolated from everyone all over again. And yet again, Cisco was going to bring back Barry into the fold.

When he got into the bar, it took him a moment to find Barry. After squeezing past a couple of bikers twice his size, Cisco finally caught sight of him. The metahuman was behind the bar, popping the top of a bottle of beer. He slid it over to the customer, who passed him a couple of bills. Now there was no one to serve, so Cisco took the opening to walk over and slide into a seat.

“Any recommendations?” Cisco glanced at the man who had just received the beer. “First time here, have a suggestion?”

“Yeah,” the man downed half the beer. “Beat it.”

“Polite,” Cisco muttered as the man walked off.

“What’ll it be?” Barry asked, his back turned as he cleaned a glass.

“Something sweet, but deceptively strong with lots of ice.”

Barry’s head shot up and he turned around. The surprise on his face slipped into a gentle Barry-like smile. It wasn’t the cold smirk of Frost that he’d seen so much months ago. This was all Barry, except it faded too fast.

“Shirley temple, coming right up,” Barry pulled out a glass.

Cisco leaned against the bar, studying Barry. All the white hair was gone and his skin didn’t look quite so pale. A white t-shirt and black leather pants with a jacket to match sold the part of bartender in the sketchy part of town. His hair was more tousled than usual and there was a black choker around his neck. Cisco really hoped he wasn’t staring in a creepy way, but he looked really hot.

“So what’s a brilliant guy with a job at the CCPD doing at a rat’s nest like this one?” he asked. 

“I can work here too,” Barry chuckled as he scooped ice into the cup. “Plus, I don’t get tips at the police department.”

“Well, that’s another way to pay rent,” Cisco shrugged. “By the way, you look great.”

Another smiled before Barry asked him a question. “How’d you find me, anyways? Did you vibe me?”

“You know STAR Labs has its own satellite and I’m great with computers right?”

“You definitely vibed me, dude.”

Cisco held up his hand. “Guilty as charged.”

“I knew it,” Barry slid the glass over to him. “Don’t worry about paying. I’ll cover you.” 

“Thanks,” Cisco took the glass, his fingers grazing Barry’s. They were no colder than normal, or at least Barry’s normal. “I’ve missed you.”

Barry’s hand left the glass and a frown replaced the smile. “Why are you here?”

“We haven’t heard from you in a while,” Cisco told him. “It’s been almost two months since you last came to STAR Labs. We all miss you. Plus I want to be able to put Caitlin’s mind at ease so she doesn’t think you’ve gone Killer on us again.”

His friend walked away toward the other side of the bar. “It’s just me, Cisco. Just Barry.”

“Okay, good,” Cisco got up and followed him as he began to pick up left behind drinks. “Did you do something? Can you still Frost up? Because you haven’t answered any of those questions since you last decided to drop by. As soon as we told you Iris was still gone, you left.”

Barry set down the tray hard. Cisco couldn’t help but take half a step back, almost expecting to see mist trailing off of Barry’s fingers and icy blue eyes boring into him. But it was just Barry with brown hair and sad puppy dog eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Cisco held up his hands. “I just haven’t been around you in so long like this. If you were fine, how come you didn’t come back to us?”

“I have my reasons,” Barry glanced over at a man leaning against a post before looking back at him.

“I won’t press anymore,” Cisco promised. “But when you’re ready, just tell us. And as for this whole isolation thing, I’m here to end it. We need you back at STAR Labs. I might have a way to bring Iris out of the Speed Force.”

Barry straightened up. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, and everyone’s on board. We just need you to be there.”

The hairs on the back of Cisco’s neck prickled up and he looked back to see the guy who has been leaning on the post now right behind him. “Is this guy bothering you?”

Barry shook his head. “We’re fine here.”

The guy leered there for another moment before walking off slowly.

Barry sighed. “Why do you need me there? You and Caitlin are the brains of the operation. What’s a CSI going to know about getting a speedster out of another dimension?”

“Because you’re still part of the team,” Cisco told him. “Because you have known Iris for so long. Because you’re family. I know it’s been hard without Iris. We all feel it. Me, Caitlin, Linda, Joe, Wally. But it’s harder with you gone too. I just want my friends back. I miss you and I miss her.”

Barry nodded. “I miss you too. But did I burn too many bridges to come back?”

Wally was the most pissed off out of all of them, but that could be worked out. “No. We want you back. The city needs Frost back just as much as it needs Momentum.”

A beat passed as Barry thought about it. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Cisco grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Barry nodded. “It’s time to stop running away.”

[valeriemperez]

Hi, I’ve been thinking about the 100 episode of the flash. I know I’m late but I hadn’t been able to send my ask anyway, I don’t understand why wells didn’t recognize Nora if he too is from the future? Also I like that they had wells at the museum in them comics wasn’t he working at the museum ? Another thing, this I just think is odd, why is TC playing eobard/wells in the future? Shouldn’t that be played by Matt? And why was it that Savitar suit shrapnel reappeared?

Wellseobard is from a different century than Nora, so he may not have met her in person. Also, he knows other children of Barry’s - the Tornado Twins - so even if he had met Dawn, so could have looked different. I wanted Eobard at the museum too, but I guess it’s possible he was Miles the curator, then got discovered and thrown in jail, lol. As for the Tom C. thing, I think it’s just because he wanted to play Reverse Flash again and he gets what he wants. They may have an explanation for it later on!

Why does everyone love season 1 so much????? Its everyone’s fav. It was good but the following seasons haven’t been bad except for 4. I don’t get the hype around season 1.

Shows are usually considered the best when they start, unless they were actively bad, because viewers get nostalgic for how things used to be. I do think Flash felt very fresh in S1, and it obviously can’t replicate that same feeling now. Plus the most poignant villain was RF, so that also makes the stakes seem higher back then.

How do you feel about Nora getting more screen time than Iris? I think it’s okay for now but if it’s a season long thing it’ll be bad. The writers have a big problem with balance. Iris is still a lead…… I guess it’s a wait and see issue at this point.

I feel the same as you. It’s fine for the first half, but I’m gonna get annoyed if it lasts all season.

Speaking of the female characters’ screentime, thank you so much for always keeping track of that. It gives me peace of mind, especially this season, because I noticed that the writers generally haven’t let Caitlin’s screentime “overshadow” Iris’s, if that makes sense, even with the KF plot. Like with the exception of 506, Iris either gets the most screentime or is second to Nora. And given that Candice has been filming a lot for early 5B, Iris is likely going to get a lot of good stuff.

Yes, I’m very excited for Iris in 5B! And you’re welcome for the screen time.

Can I rant for a sec? Candice and her stunt woman just got featured in a mag and Candice was promoting the story and her girl’s IG on her IG. But Candice doesn’t actually follow her stunt woman. Nobody batts an eye at that. But I see fans use the fact that Candice doesn’t follow Grant’s wife, someone she must see much less and only has a vague connection to, as proof that Candice hates her and there’s beef there. What kind of logic is that??????

Totally with you on this. Candice often forgets to follow people she genuinely loves, so her not following someone she never hangs out with is not proof of anything. I mean, obviously they’re not besties, but that doesn’t mean they hate each other either.

[shrinkthisviolet]

I get what you mean about The Flash getting too campy and cheesy in S4. To be honest, the only Season I dislike more is S7 (which is literally S4 “Leveled Up”). But I did and still do enjoy S3 and S5 (despite their issues). The quality did drop from S1 and S2 going into S3. The Flashpoint storyline was a huge disappointment. But there is a lot I look back on fondly: H.R. (he may not be my favorite, Harry, but he is a lovable dork I can root for), the Invasion Crossover that cemented the Arrowverse Trinity, the Gorilla City Two-Parter, Jesse Quick suiting up, Kid Flash debuting, them and Barry working together (even though it was tragically short-lived), Cisco and Gypsy (which is my favorite Cisco related ship), and the idea (not the execution) of an evil future Barry as the Big Bad. Though, granted, they did drop the ball with Caitlin, Frost, and Iris’s character arcs. So, this Season still makes my top 3 Flash Seasons. I feel like the back-half of S6 was really the end/final nail in the coffin to Classic Flash and the birth of the disappointing spin-off Team Flash.

As for Stargirl, I doubt there’s going to be a quality dip in S3. The showrunner/head writer is the same person who created the character in the comics. And I’ve read almost all of his various different runs on Justice League, Justice Society, Teen Titans, Infinite Crisis, Doomsday Clock, Green Lantern, and The Flash. He’s pretty consistent in the story quality. I’ve never felt disappointed when reading his work.

That’s good!! I’m excited. Definitely trying to keep my hopes high for this show.

The Flash S3 just...doesn’t really make all that much sense 😂 Alchemy and Savitar being the same person, the way Wally got his powers, everyone refusing to tell Barry who Savitar is for so long that the audience all guessed it anyway, the way Savitar was defeated, the actual implications of Savitar being Barry’s clone not being fully explored (did he never try putting makeup over his injury to trick Team Flash? Was no one conflicted about hurting him?)...S3 has its good moments, and the tone was good imo, but it fell short with plot.

Same with S5...though I also take issue with Nora’s characterization in that one, as a 28-ish-year-old woman who acts like a teenager. And I didn’t like Sherloque/Council of Wells all that much, KF’s storyline was botched (pretty much since late-S3/S4, but S5 continues to make that worse), the way Thawne was written in S5 (S4 onward, really)...yeah no. The tone was there, but the writing wasn’t imo. Don’t even get me started on Cicada 😂