Barry groaned as he walked into his apartment. He had a long, painful day of being the flash, and finally, finally, he could sleep. He pulls off his shirt before hearing a knock at the door.
"Julian?" Barry asked, rubbing at his tired eyes.
"Barry-hi." Julian blushed, eyes drawn to Barry's exposed chest. "I needed..." Julian started, licking his lips.
"Jules?" Barry smirked, heart fluttering. Was it sleep-deprived wishful thinking, or was Julian actually looking at him with lust?
"I needed to talk to you about," Julian tried again, before locking eyes with Barry. "Invite me in?" Julian finally asked.
"Oh-sure, of course." Barry said awkwardly, moving out the way. "I didn't know you wore jeans." Barry laughed, taking in the sight of the overly casual Julian.
"Yes-about that actually." Julian began nervously. "Bloody hell, Allen. Can you put a shirt on? It's quite distracting." Julian asked, blushing.
"Is it?" Barry chuckled, walking closer to Julian. "I didn't think you saw me that way, Jules." Barry's heart was pounding now.
"About that-" Julian started again, before Barry leaned down, kissing him softly. "Bloody hell," Julian moaned. Barry took that as encouragement, deepening the kiss. When Julian's hands ran through Barry's hair, Barry lifted him off the ground, pressing him into the wall. "Fuck, Barry." As Barry bit into Julian's jawline, his phone started ringing.
"Fuck-fuck, I'm sorry Jules." Barry set Julian down, before stepping into the other room to answer the call from Iris. When Barry walked back into the room, Julian was already halfway out the door. "Julian, wait!" Barry called out.
"I'm sorry Barry," Julian blushed, closing the door behind him.
xxx
"Allen; glad to see you could make it on time for once." Julian scoffed, not looking up from his papers.
"Look, Julian, I know it was really unexpected, but can we talk about last night?" Barry asked, shifting nervously in front of Julian's desk.
"Last night?" Julian looked up at him, a look of confusion on his face. "I was pretty knackered by midnight, if you stopped by the lab, I honestly didn't notice."
"the lab? No, I meant-you wanted to tell me something, but we got distracted? And then my phone rang." Barry tried.
"I'm not sure I follow." Julian frowned. Barry stared at Julian for a moment.
"You don't know what I'm talking about." Barry said quietly. "Of course you don't, you probably don't even own blue jeans." Barry walked back to his desk, running his hands through his hair.
"You're not making sense, and we have far too much paperwork to play whatever game you're getting at." Julian sighs.
xxx
after work Barry speeds to starlabs.
"Cisco, can you see if-woah." Barry started, jaw dropping a little at the Doppelgängers.
"Barry, glad you could make it." This worlds Cisco smiled at him. "This is Cisco, Wally, Harrison, and Julian from earth 14."
"oh; wow." Barry says, watching Julian 14 blush and avoid eye contact.
"they got stuck here on earth one last night." Cisco continued.
"Did they?" Barry asked, attention divided.
"we could really use a second speedster." Harrison added.
"Julian was suppose to grab you last night, but you didn't answer." Cisco 14 explained.
"Oh really?" Barry tried to say casually.
"yes, it was already quite late, In sure you were knackered." Julian 14 blushed, waving his hand through the lie.
"But you're here now, so let's give them a lift home." Cisco suggested. On the walk down to the accelerator, Barry and Julian 14 trailed behind.
"You could have told me you were from another earth." Barry pouts.
"I tried." Julian 14 grumbles softly in reply.
"Things almost got really awkward for me and my Julian today." Barry sighs.
"I am sorry, Barry. It was a rash decision; clearly I was not in my right mind."
"So what, now you regret kissing me?" Barry asked, irritated. The two stopped walking, letting the rest of the group move on without them.
"You kissed me!" Julian 14 bit back. "Besides, aren't you happy I regret it?"
"no!" Barry protested.
"Well why the hell not?!"
"because-" Barry stopped short, crossing his arms. "Because."
"glad to see on every earth you are just as infuriating." Julian 14 rolls his eyes.
"same to you." Barry and Julian 14 share a second of silence. "Why would you even want to kiss me back." Barry sighs, unsure whether he was asking for Julian 14's explanation, or if he was wondering about his own Julian. The two slowly begin to follow the others.
"We aren't exactly mates back on my earth, Barry." Julian 14 explained, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"I guess that's another thing our worlds have in common."
Xxxxx
Barry sat at his desk, watching Julian work. He was so much more refined than Julian 14. He was so elegant. So dedicated.
"Staring at me will not make me want your help, Allen." So unattainable.
"My mistake, I don't mean to slack off on my thumb twiddling." Barry shot back.
"Why don't you go for one of your infamous three hour coffee runs?" Julian offered, not looking up from his microscope.
"And leave you here unsupervised?"
"Very funny, Allen."
xxxxx
after work and the flash's usual patrols, Barry collapsed back against his apartment door. He sighed slowly, before pulling off his shirt. Julian 14's expression played in Barry's head as he walked towards his bed. Maybe earth one Julian might like seeing Barry shirtless as well.
He could hope.
xxxxxx
"Hey Julian," Barry asked, gathering the courage last minute. Julian sighed.
"What, Allen?" Julian stands by the door, ready to leave for the night.
"Did you maybe want to get a drink with me or something?"
"not particularly." Julian answered quickly before walking out the lab. Barry groaned to himself.
xxxxx
"So remind me again why we're going to earth 14?" Cisco asks, already opening the portal.
"Oh, I just had some questions that I think Julian 14 could help me with." Barry explained loosely, shifting nervously.
"uh-huh." Cisco replied disbelievingly. As the two walked through the portal, they were greeted by the earth 14 Doppelgängers of Barry, Wally, Harrison, and Julian.
"Hey guys." Cisco one waved weakly.
"Cisco! Handsome as ever!" Cisco 14 grinned at them.
"Why are you here?" Barry 14 frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Relax, flash, im sure it's not just a social call." Julian 14 rolled his eyes.
"actually-" Barry one began, "it kind of is. Julian, could we talk?" Barry shifted nervously, watching his glowering counterpart uneasily.
"oh." Julian blushed. "Sure, Barry." Julian scratched his neck before leading the way out the portal room. Barry 14's eye twitched as he watched the two walk out quietly.
"So you were telling me about that satalitte program you rigged up for meta activity?" Cisco one asks earth 14 Cisco.
"oh! Yeah, check it out!"
xxxxx
"I must say, I'm surprised to see you." Julian chuckles.
"yeah, I guess I just couldn't get it out of my head; I mean my Julian would never.." Barry trails off, walking beside Julian 14 on the way to jitters.
"yes, my Barry niether." Julian 14 frowned.
"then again, my Julian would never be caught dead in jeans and a band tee." Barry one laughed.
"he sounds posh." Julian snorted. "You look much the same as mine, but I can't imagine my Barry ever smiling so much." Julian smiled softly as the two sat at the table.
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Barry asked.
"Well, I think that's just Barry." Julian shrugged. "Although Iris leaving him for Oliver queen couldn't have helped."
"Iris? And Oliver Queen?" Barry sat back in his seat, taking in the information.
"Yes, I suppose she'd rather have the rich young heir than a real hero." Julian 14 said bitterly. Barry hummed, knowing it wasn't his place to correct him.
"So Iris and your Barry were together here? So weird." Barry frowned.
"It's never crossed your mind?" Julian asked, almost distantly.
"I had this big crush on her when we were kids, but since Joe took me in, she's practically been my sister." Barry explained.
"I see. Her family took you in. So then why haren't your Julian and you developed anything? Am I really that different over there?" Julian 14 looked up at Barry, truly trying to decipher the situation. Barry laughed lightly.
"Well the first time I asked him out he was going through a lot so it wasn't exactly a date, the second time he told me he had plans with his girlfriend.." Barry sighed. "And he's turned me down every time since."
"Please don't tell me I'm straight in your world."
"I don't know." Barry laughed. "It hasn't seemed fair to hope for anything else."
"Well your Julian doesn't know what he's missing." Julian 14 smiled softly at Barry, placing one hand over his on the table. Barry blushed, looking down at their hands before glancing up at the counter.
"why don't I grab us some coffees?" Barry asked nervously before stepping away. Barry steadied his breath as he ordered their drinks.
"thank you, Barry." Julian 14 smiled as he took the cup. "So tell me about your Julian."
"My Julian," Barry almost laughed as he leaned in across the table. "He's brilliant and he knows it." He began, eyes softening. "He's distrustful, jaded, but... he has a really good heart. He's never liked me very much, and if we're talking, we're bickering. But I don't know. Even when we are, it's like we just click into place." Barry paused to laugh. "Did that sound really lame?"
"no." Julian laughed. "I know the feeling."
xxxx
Barry one and Julian 14 walked down the street back towards star labs, their hands occasionally brushing against each other.
"At least you still have the same taste in coffee as my Julian." Barry laughed.
"Barry." Julian 14 asked, grabbing Barry's hand to stop him. "When you kissed me, you thought I was him. I really am sorry." Julian flinched a little, but Barry just moved in closer.
"Hey, it's ok. I could kiss you now to make it even." Barry teased. When Julian met his eyes, Barry felt a sudden vulnerability. "Could I?" Barry asked softly.
"Oh, well, yes. I suppose," Julian almost stuttered, blush creeping in. Barry chuckled softly before lifting Julian's chin with one finger, and leaning down into the kiss. Before Julian could even return the kiss, Barry was being pulled back, and tossed down the street.
"What the hell are you doing?" Flash 14 raged.
"Ow, and nothing. Jeeze, I just wanted to talk some things through with Jules-"
"No, you just wanted to kiss My Julian. I don't give a fuck how you defend it to yourself, I just want you out of my earth."
"Wait a second." Barry one laughed, getting to his feet. "Your jealous?"
"What about your Julian, huh? Don't you have your own?" Flash 14 asked, crossing his arms.
"He's exactly what I came to ask your Julian about," Barry one explained, rolling his shoulders out.
"If you need my Julian so bad then fine. Take him. I'll just go after yours." Flash 14 scowled before running off.
"wait, what?" Barry asked himself before chasing after.
xxxxx
"Barry, glad your here-" Cisco started as a burst of red lightning entered the room.
"yep, time to go."
"good. Man you wouldn't believe the creepy vibes I got from your doppelgänger." Cisco scoffed before opening the wormhole. As the two stepped through, the other speedster burst in the room.
"Scared them off, huh?" Cisco 14 laughs lightly. "I always tell you, smile when we have guests."
"Cisco it's not me; I mean I'm not your me, I'm my own me." Barry stuttered. "I need to follow your me before he ruins my life."
"Oh; oh!" Cisco replied, scrambling to put on his goggles. "He's really a good guy when you get to know him." Cisco 14 assures him before Barry brings them through the portal. Without saying a word to the rest of the earth one gang, Barry bolted to the CCPD labs.
xxxxx
"Wait Julian, it's not me!" Barry exclaims as he bursts through the door. His jaw drops as the flash pulls away from the blushing Julian one.
"I-Allen, I didn't know if you'd be in today." Julian says quietly, trying to shrug off his blush.
"Nice to see you again, Barry." Flash 14 smirks. His hand trailed from Julian's hair, to his neck, settling on the fabric over Julian's chest.
"You-what did you-" Barry sputters, before chasing flash 14 full speed. Time slows around them as they throw punches, and dodge across the room.
"h-hey!" The two stop, flash 14 pinning Barry one, fist ready to pummel. Barry one looks up at him, gaping. Somehow during the fight, the flash's hood had fallen around his neck. "Barrys." Julian continued, much more red than before. "What the fuck is going on?"
"Julian, I-" Barry one started before Barry 14 punched across his face.
"Julian fuck this guy, you didn't even know I was a Barry Allen and you wanted me." Barry 14 grinned.
"what?"
"Julian don't listen to him, his crazy!"
"I'm crazy? You took my Julian so now I'm winning over yours; seems pretty sane to me!"
"Wait, what?"
"I didn't take him! He only wanted to kiss me because I was shirtless."
"Shirtless? Don't act like I didn't see you kiss him!"
"what is going on?"
"I meant the first time, here on earth one. The second time was just because we were bonding over our unrequited love of you two idiots!" Barry one nearly spat, shoving Barry 14 off of him.
"your; what?" Julian asks slowly.
"He said that?" Barry 14 almost whispers, not looking at either of the others in the room.
"Just; Go talk with your own Julian." Barry one sighs.
"Barry I'm telling you this now. If I see you anywhere near my Julian, or near my earth, I will end you." Barry 14 threatens before speeding out the room.
"Jesus, can you believe that guy?" Barry sighs to himself before feeling Julian's eyes on him.
"So you're the flash." Julian starts, almost casually.
"Uh, yeah."
"And that was an alternate version of yourself from another earth." Julian sits back on his desk, watching Barry carefully.
"Yeah, one with a real temper." Barry grumbles.
"And you kissed his version of me." Julian continues to recap.
"I-It wasn't planned or anything!"
"So the flash busting in here kissing me and asking me out-"
"Wait; he actually asked you out?" Barry interrupts
"Yes. To get to you, apparently. But if you have the other me, why bother stopping him?"
"Jules," Barry almost laughs. "I don't have or want any Julian except you. I only kissed Julian 14 because he's so much like you." Barry starts blushing as well, hands nervously diving in his pockets.
"So why go to all the trouble of traveling to another earth to kiss someone who's just like me? Or is that not a rough trip for the flash?" Julian crossed his arms.
"I didn't at first-I thought he was actually you at first, and no, it doesn't take long to get to another earth, but usually it's just when we actually need to-"
"Barry," Julian inturupted.
"I-Yeah?"
"Would you like to kiss me?"
"I-yes. Definitely." Barry replied breathlessly.
"And were you expecting to do it from over there?"
"oh, you mean now-I yeah." Barry stuttered, crossing the room towards Julian. Julian stayed sitting on his desk, placing his hands on Barry's hips. After watching Julian's eyes carefully, Barry slowly leaned down. His heart ran rampant in his chest, and his hand shook as it traced Julian's jawline. Their lips met softly, breath nervous and shallow.
"As good as the other Julian?" Julian asks, smirking.
"oh far, far better."