Author's note: This story contains spoilers for Episode 14 of Season 2 of The Flash, but takes place sometime after and deviates from Canon.
*****
Iris West did her best not to react to her friend's 'new look', but it wasn't easy. Gone was the brunette hair and brown eyes, replaced by bright white hair and pale blue eyes, and while Caitlin Snow had always been pale her skin was now as wide as, well, snow.
Of course what was most distracting was those dark blue and apparently deadly lips, and it definitely wasn't normal to stare at a friend's lips. Not that there was anything normal about this situation.
Plastering on a smile Iris called out, "Hey."
Briefly looking up from her work Caitlin smiled softly and replied, "Hey."
Holding out one of the cups in her hand Iris said, "I brought you coffee."
The smile faded from Caitlin's face and after a brief pause she gave Iris an apologetic look, "I can't drink that."
"Oh." Iris murmured, frowning slightly as she asked, "Is it because-"
"I'm a freak?" Caitlin offered, "Yeah."
"You're not a freak." Iris said softly, "And, and that was a stupid question to asked. I just-"
"It's fine." Caitlin said dismissively, then after a pause added, "It's sweet of you to think of me, but this... new body of mine doesn't react well to hot things. And I need a straw to drink anything, otherwise it freezes pretty much the second it touches my lips."
"Wow." Iris murmured, and then when Caitlin gave her a look she said, "I'm sorry, I get why that would be a pain, I really do, but you've got to admit it's kind of cool. No pun intended."
Caitlin's eyes narrowed and she spat, "I'm a Killer. Just like the other me."
Iris frowned, "No you're not."
"Yes I am!" Caitlin exclaimed, standing up from her work and voice becoming echoey, "She said I would end up like her, that it was my destiny to become her, and she was right. I'm Killer Frost now, and until I cure myself it's just a matter of time before I kill again. So leave me alone!"
There was a pause and then Iris firmly said, "The Killer Frost from Earth 2 was a psychopath who killed for fun. You've killed two men so far, both murderous scumbags who nearly killed us. One of them actually had a gun to my head when, and I can't believe I'm actually saying this, you used your super cool ice powers to stop him. You saved me. And you could save countless more people, if you didn't lock yourself down here in the bowels of Star Labs and spend all day trying to fix yourself. I mean, I'm sorry, but have you ever considered that there's nothing to fix? That you're awesome like this? That you should be out there kicking ass and taking names? Being the bad ass you can be? After all, why should Barry have all the fun?"
There was another pause as for a few long seconds Caitlin seemed to consider this, then she lowered her gaze, slumped down into her chair and pointed out, "I can't kiss anyone."
"I know." Iris said softly, "And that part does suck, but you can touch someone. I've seen you. Which means you can probably still have sex."
"Maybe, but who would want to take the risk?" Caitlin asked softly, still not looking at Iris, "And who would want to date me now? I'm a monster!"
"I would." Iris said almost without hesitation.
"What?" Caitlin exclaimed, finally looking at her friend.
After briefly hesitating Iris took a long sip of her coffee, placed it and the other down on the desk Caitlin was working on and then firmly stated, "I said I would date you. You're beautiful, smart, and caring. That's what I thought when we first met and you were looking after Barry after the accident, which turned him into the Flash, and I still think that now. Except now I also know you're brave, and kind, and sweet, and you could never become the monster that your doppelgΓ€nger was, because you always want to do the right thing."
Stunned at the confession Caitlin simply murmured, "Oh."
Iris wasn't sure whether she should continue or not, but she did anyway, "I, I would have totally asked you out when we first met, but I had just started dating Eddie, and you were still obviously mourning the death of Ronnie. Then he came back, then he and Eddie died, then you were dating Jay, and then... mourning the death of that relationship. So it never felt like the right time. But yeah, I would totally date you like this, even if I couldn't kiss you, because you're still all the things I like about you. And honestly, the power you have is kind of hot. I mean cool, I mean sexy. Yeah, let's go with sexy."
There was more silence, Caitlin smiling at Iris's rambling, and then the white haired girl admitted, "I've never... dated a girl before."
Smiling in relief Iris admitted, "Me neither, but I've had a few drunken kisses before, and I went all the way with Linda before she skipped town. Trust me, if nothing else, it's totally worth satisfying the curiosity if you're up for trying it... I take it you are?"
There was another long pause, which felt the longest yet, and then Caitlin softly asked, "You sure you want to take the risk?"
Iris smiled, stepped forward and leaned down so she was in Caitlin's personal space and then practically purred, "You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now."
"I might." Caitlin said softly, very aware that their lips were only a few inches apart.
There was yet another brief pause and then Iris began, "If it was short and sweet, do you think-"
"No!" Caitlin said firmly, "It might work, but I'm not willing to let you play guinea pig."
Iris briefly pouted, then smiled, "Then we'll just have to try something else."