TITLE: THE FLASH – "DATE NIGHT"
Anime-style, cinematic, human-written tone – continuation.
---
Weeks later.
The attacks didn't stop.
But they got boring.
It was like clockwork now—every three days, the rift would pulse, a new meta would come through, and within minutes, Barry would end it.
They never saw him coming.
Earth-Two metas—strong, flashy, confident. Most didn't even get a second line of dialogue before they were in a pipeline cell or out cold on the pavement. Barry didn't talk much during the fights anymore. No speeches. No questions. Just run, hit, done.
Team meetings got shorter.
The tension between him and Jay stayed.
Linda kept training, getting sharper. Quieter. She started spending more time in the med bay helping Caitlin, even when she wasn't asked. No one called her Dr. Light anymore. Not out loud.
Cisco kept watching.
Jay kept pretending.
And Barry?
Barry had other things on his mind.
Because today... was the date.
---
10:08 AM – STAR Labs.
Barry stood in the Speed Lab, arms crossed, looking at a holographic menu rotating above the table.
HR was sitting nearby, sipping tea, pretending not to spy.
"Too fancy," Barry muttered, swiping left. The hologram changed. "Too loud." Swipe. "Too crowded." Swipe. "Too... seafood."
HR tilted his head. "You want romantic, not radioactive. Think low lights. String music. Pasta you can't pronounce."
Barry looked at him. "She doesn't know I'm the Flash."
HR paused. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well, in that case…" HR stood up, twirling his cane. "Go simple. Real. Take her somewhere you like, not just somewhere she'll like."
Barry raised an eyebrow. "Like Jitters?"
HR frowned. "Okay, not that real."
---
1:32 PM – Downtown Central.
Barry zipped through alleyways in civilian clothes, phone in one hand, checking locations. He stopped outside a rooftop garden restaurant, peered inside, then super-speed-cleaned the windows before ducking away again.
He checked the weather. Windy. Light chance of rain.
He ran across town to a small candle store, bought two vanilla-bean soy candles, ran back, swapped the table centerpieces at the restaurant, then ran off again.
By 2:40 PM, he'd:
Booked a rooftop table with the best sunset view in the city
Paid off the pianist to learn Patty's favorite jazz tune
Sent Cisco to distract any potential Earth-Two breaches
Set his emergency phone to vibrate-only
Hid a small bouquet of wildflowers under the seat cushion
And somehow still had time to shave.
---
5:45 PM – Patty's Apartment.
She opened the door, surprised. "You're early."
Barry smiled. Button-down shirt. Clean shoes. Nervous energy. "Is that bad?"
"No," she said, grabbing her coat. "Just... unexpected."
She looked good. Not overdressed. Not trying too hard. Just her.
That's all Barry ever wanted.
---
6:12 PM – The Rooftop.
The sun was just starting to dip. Gold clouds. Soft breeze. No metas. No alarms. Just the sound of city life, far below them.
Patty looked around, impressed. "Barry, this is... wow."
He grinned. "You like it?"
She nodded, walking to the edge of the rooftop slowly. "I've lived here my whole life and never knew this place existed."
He pulled out her chair for her. "It's new. Like... two years new."
She raised an eyebrow. "Two years is new?"
"For this city?" Barry sat down. "That's yesterday."
The waiter came by. Water, menus, smiles. Barry barely looked at the food. He'd already picked their dishes earlier. He just watched her.
She looked peaceful. Lighter than usual. Her eyes scanned the skyline with that detective glint—always analyzing, even on a date.
She looked back at him. "You're staring."
He smiled. "Yeah."
"You okay?"
He hesitated. Then nodded. "Just... glad you're here."
Patty looked at him for a long beat.
Then smiled.
---
6:48 PM – Food arrived.
Conversation was easy. Laughs came naturally. Stories about bad suspects, missed alarms, broken coffee machines. Patty did most of the talking. Barry didn't mind.
He wasn't distracted tonight.
Wasn't planning counterattacks.
Wasn't watching rooftops.
Just her.
She noticed it too.
"You seem different," she said.
He blinked. "How so?"
"More... here."
Barry took a sip of water. "I've been trying to be."
She tilted her head. "That thing you're working on—whatever job you can't talk about. You think it's almost over?"
He wanted to lie.
Instead, he said, "Maybe not. But I'm working on the exit."
She nodded slowly. "Just promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Don't disappear without telling me goodbye."
Barry looked down for a moment.
Then back at her.
"I won't."
She smiled again. Not just politely. Not because she was supposed to.
Because she believed him.
---
7:21 PM – The Rift Pulsed.
Across town, in an abandoned parking garage, a breach opened. A man stepped through. Dressed in a black jacket, goggles, holding a small energy cannon. Earth-Two tech.
He looked around. No signs of a fight. No welcoming committee.
He took one step—
CRACK.
Barry appeared in front of him in a flash of yellow lightning.
The meta didn't even finish his scream before the cannon was yanked from his hand, his goggles shattered, and he was pinned to the wall by two steel pipes Barry had bent into makeshift cuffs.
Then he was gone.
Back in the pipeline.
No warning.
No struggle.
No witnesses.
---
7:23 PM – Rooftop Restaurant.
Barry sat back in his seat, smoothing his shirt.
Patty didn't notice he was gone.
She was reading the dessert menu.
He smiled.
"Anything good?" he asked.
She looked up. "Chocolate mousse."
"Say no more."
He raised his hand. Waiter came. Orders placed.
Patty leaned back, looking at the city again.
"I like this," she said. "Tonight."
Barry nodded. "Me too."
She glanced at him. "You always run off when things get close?"
He flinched—just a little.
Patty saw it.
"Sorry," she added. "Bad joke."
Barry shook his head. "No, it's fair."
She didn't press.
He looked at her again. Thought about the lies. The suit. The speed.
Then quietly asked, "If I told you I had a secret... would that change anything?"
She looked at him carefully. "Depends on the secret."
He nodded slowly.
Then didn't say more.
---
8:01 PM – Dessert arrived.
They shared the mousse. One spoon, passed back and forth. Laughs turned into that easy silence where two people didn't need words anymore.
The pianist played her favorite song.
She noticed.
He didn't take credit.
She knew he had something to do with it.
---
8:34 PM – Outside the restaurant.
Patty stood on the sidewalk, hands in her coat pockets.
Barry stood beside her.
The sky was dark now, city lights flickering above them. The sounds of traffic, laughter, a bus braking. Ordinary life.
He looked at her.
She looked back.
Then kissed him.
Not long. Not dramatic.
Just real.
Then she pulled back. "Don't let too much time pass before next time."
He nodded. "Promise."
She turned, walking off into the city.
He watched until she disappeared down the block.
Then he turned.
Looked up at the sky.
"Alright, time to end this."