im terrified this isnt good but i really want to finish it t

"It's really weird getting advice on my love life from myself," she says. "Eh. Still better than Taako's advice."

"Damn straight," she chuckles, scooching closer to alt Lup."So we're good, right?"

"Yea, we're good. One mo' question, just indulge me for a hot sec - how the fuck am I gonna do this?" She asks. Lup furrows her brow.

"That's vague as shit," she says. "Like, how are you gonna ask him out?"

"How am I supposed to bring up this whole situation? 'Would you like to go out to dinner tonight?  Also, our other selves are totally boning!'"

"I'd change the order around - like, show it as cause 'n affect. Saw how incredibly, unspeakably happy we were, wanted that for yourself. And I'd avoid using the word boning!" She puts an arm around her. "Then you'll be good to go."

"More like incredibly, unspeakably sappy," she scoffs. "But I always give the best advice - thanks for giving me a piece of that."

"I'm flattered," Lup grins. "One small Q for you: what would your couple name be?"

"Lubarry, duh."

---

A fundamental characteristic of Lup is her impatience.

She is results driven, working best when she can see her efforts paying off. Once she has decided to do something, she has to get it done - nothing is capable of stopping her.

Except for human beings and their dumbass sleep schedule.

Barry gets up at 7:09 AM (his alarm goes off at 7, but he always hits snooze).

It is 4:21 AM. (So close.)

She's got a long way to go. Whenever she tries to meditate, read, do anything but think about him, her mind wanders.

She walks the third floor of the Institute. It's eerie at this time of night, the florescents are dimmed and the world is still. She loves it - it's weird as fuck and feels like hers, in a strange sort of way. Not many people get to see it like this.

Barry has, though. They'd stay up all night, researching together. He was always on edge, something she assumed was from his weird human body. But he once confessed he was scared, said it so soft she could barely hear it.

So she enchanted a labcoat for him, gave it nightvision and +2 preformance. The last one was an accident, but she just rebranded and called it the 'fabcoat'. When he put it on, he hugged her so tight she thought she would burst.

And now she's thinking about him again. Damn it.

There's a light on in lab 302. She enters absentmindedly, and there he is.

He's got the worst bedhead she's ever seen, there are heavy bags under his eyes, he looks-

"Woah! Uh - hi Lup. I look like shit."

Handsome. Cute. Perfect.

He seems embarrassed of the words, as if he didn't intend to say them aloud. [He didn't.]

"Nah, don't pull that, you look-" Adorable. Hot. Attractive. "fine. Like, dayumm, you look foine! Not just okay-fine."

He's wearing the fabcoat (she embellished the IPR patch with rhinestones) despite the lights being on. [He's wearing it because it reminds him of her.]

"Thanks, you too. Look fine. Dayum foine fine," he blurts out. "Agh, I'm sorry it's just a super weird night, and I have something I need to tell you but  it's also super weird."

"Woa, same here! Vis-a-vis weird night and weird things I need to tell you," she gulps. "Uh, yea. So-"

"You first-"

"So what did-"

They awkwardly laugh. She takes a deep breath.

"Other Lup and Barry are dating, they have been for a super long time, they've moved in together. I was doing that clothes stealing heist when I found out. And I talked with the other Lup about it-" Surpringly, Barry does not seem shocked until the next sentence. "Seeing her with him and talking to her, uh, it made me realize that I wanted that too. For a while, actually. So, that's - that's the latest from Lup! It's all out there. I'm all exposed."

"I'd at least like to buy you dinner first-" Lup bursts out laughing. She was prepared for so many results, but not that. "I'm processing a lot of feelings - good feelings! - and my first instinct is to make that joke, I'm sorry."

"No, don't - good feelings. That's, uh. Good," she stumbles. She cannot remember the last time she felt this way.

"This isn't a prank, right? Before I also, uh, expose myself, just gotta make sure. It's entrapment if you don't tell me."

"Nope. Not a prank - just genuine feelings. Wild," she says. He runs a hand through his hair.

"Well, I guess our other selves are just bad at this secret thing? Because I was napping in the breakroom, and they woke me by making out in this lab. And I don't really know what to say, since I had this whole speech prepared. That it was my duty as your friend to tell you, since the topic was unavoidable I'd talk about how majorly into I am, but I don't expect you to feel the same just because of other Lup. But that's not really applicable anymore."

Her ears perk up. "Your hypothesis was incorrect."

"Who's making bad jokes now?" he laughs. "Who am I kidding, I think that was hilarious. But, uh. Yep! What do you wanna do about this?"

"Well, if you're up for it, I'd love to follow in the footsteps of our