some Mayor Queen w/o being the Green Arrow at night AU.
The first time the Flash met the mayor of Star City, the latter was falling from one of the tallest hi-rise building of Central.
It started when the mayor came over the city for the first time to cut the ribbon of the newly built Central-Star Bridge. With this completed project, there was a much shorter distance between the two cities.
Unfortunately, even criminals appreciated the prospect.
To show gratitude, Mayor Queen was captured in the middle of his live speech without preamble, suddenly vanishing from the TV screens of the people watching. Barry was one of those people so he didn't waste any time to suit up in his costume.
Fortunately for them, it was the same meta they had been tracking the past previous days, with an ability of teleporting at great distance (an improved version of Peek-a-boo). Having encountered the same kind of powers before, the team planned on capturing the meta the same way they had done.
Except that the mayor could have been at Timbuktu right then or at the highest peak of Mt. Everest as those were smart moves to do.
But again, fortunately for them, the meta wasn't smart enough to ever thought of any of it and instead settled for the building in the middle of Central City.
Funny thing was, Barry still had the time to subdue and deliver the meta to S.T.A.R. Labs before he raced to get the mayor currently on a free fall.
Normally, he would have save the victim first, but he was feeling pretty confident on his speed lately (risky, as the other voice in him kept reminding) that he thought he was getting a lot faster than before that chasing even a teleporting meta seemed much easier.
When he set down the mayor on the surface though, he wondered if he was the one who was dropped off at great height and hit his head.
Because the first thing he realized was that Mayor Queen was very attractive in close up. Now he knew where the tabloids and articles where coming from when they said he was one of the most desirable bachelor of the year that even Iris sighs dreamily at the mention of Oliver Queen.
The butterflies in Barry's stomach were rudely interrupted by the sound of retching and dry heaving.
As if snapped out of trance, the speedster gave the man some time to adjust himself.
"Thank you," Mayor Queen said weakly, still looking a bit green, and blinking out the dizziness. "Uh, Flash."
Despite the pained smile, Barry felt something tug in his chest, drawn by Mayor Queen's deep blue eyes. "No problem, sir," he managed to say after mentally slapping himself for staring. "Do you need me to deliver you to the hospital?"
Mayor Queen groaned. "I don't think I can last another fast trip without throwing up. And I'd rather not do that to you. That's not how I pay my gratitude." The older man chuckled wryly.
Barry didn't want to dwell on how pleasant it sounded. "Um, yeah, sure. I can call 911?" he offered as an excuse to avoid looking at the mayor.
It wasn't long when an ambulance and Mayor Queen's security arrived. There was also the media that followed on the way that Barry pitied the mayor for being crowded by reporters and journalists trying to get past security.
When Mayor Queen was being taken by the paramedics, he searched the small crowd for the Flash and he caught his eyes. He gave him a small smile of gratitude that Barry returned willingly before speeding away ahead in time for the cameras to direct their lenses on him.
After a few hours, Mayor Queen released a public statement of gratitude for Central City's hero. For some reason, Barry couldn't quite wipe the happy grin off his face for a week.
And since then he kept himself updated on news about Mayor Queen—ahem, Star City.
The second time Barry met Mayor Queen, it was in an attempted assassination.
The mayor of Star City was once again at Central to launch a branch of Queen Consolidated Applied Sciences Division, in which Barry went to see for himself.
There were plenty of CCPD police around the perimeter after the mayor received a death threat two days prior to the event, as Joe had filled Barry in and asked to be ready just in case. Mingling with the attendees, Barry wasn't sure whether to be alert with the surroundings or be distracted with the mayor's smooth voice as he gave a brief introduction about the scientific minds that would be included.
Barry should be listening to some of his favorite scientists but instead he was droning the words of whoever was speaking as his eyes kept coming back to Mayor Queen who was sitting at the sidelines along with some important people.
He must have been staring at the man longer than intended when the latter seemed to sense eyes on him and looked up to find Barry briefly before the speedster immediately diverted his gaze away, pretending to be writing something down on his nondescript notepad.
A minute after, Barry tested the waters and dared to sneak a peek again. To his surprise though, Mayor Queen was already looking at his direction, head slightly tilted as he sported a confused frown but appearing to be amused as he caught Barry's not so subtle staring.
Barry felt his face heat up as his eyes landed downwards in embarrassment.
And when Mayor Queen threw him a handsome grin, Barry knew he had it bad for him.
Like really bad that he missed the bullet that almost grazed the speaker and created a mass hysteria, causing panic and confusion to get Mayor Queen in a clearer view amidst the throng of people clamoring towards the exit.
Barry removed the mayor from the sniper's line of vision, completely missing a supposedly clean shot to the heart.
He made sure to deliver the mayor inside his armored vehicle before fetching the shooter and directly sending him to the police headquarters, cuffed.
As fast was the Flash saving Mayor Queen was the speed of media flocking the Star City mayor to get his statement on his second coming over at Central that lead to another attempt on his life.
The only statement Mayor Queen released that afternoon was another gratitude to Central City's Flash.
They say twice is coincidence and thrice is fate.
Following the same logic meant that Barry meeting Mayor Queen on dire situations was fate.
Like on their third meeting, where Barry saved him from a large fire.
Though in defense, it was a total accident. And, well, nobody liked to be in life-threatening situations that Barry doubted the incidents were publicity stunts, despite the rumors circulating; attributing the attempts on Mayor Queen's life as some kind of ploy to get the sympathy of the people.
It might be from a biased perspective and it could be from the part of him that always sees the good in a person, but Barry thought that was quite troublesome to do so. He didn't know how politicians do their thing but he would rather chalk up Mayor Queen's predicaments to a hard case of bad luck. Besides, Barry as the Flash gets to see him in person and closer—plus he gets to encircle an arm around the mayor's waist that he could feel the strong muscles underneath.
And, fuck, he just admitted to himself that he kinda like the feel of Mayor Queen under his hands.
Jesus, I sound creepy. This got to stop.
The Star City mayor had safely ushered the others first out of the burning Central City Hall, and was then trapped in an office due to checking for any more victims left at the premises. When Barry arrived to get him out, Mayor Queen was ready to pass out with the amount of smoke he already inhaled.
It seemed that it was no longer just bad luck that Barry had to consider—savior complex too.
As he helped the paramedics put the mayor on a stretcher, the man coughed and struggled to breath but was definitely conscious with heavy eyelids, asking the Flash whether everybody else was safe. Barry assured him softly that they got out in time thanks to him, which caused Mayor Queen's hand to tighten on Barry's forearm, smiling that pained smile of his and murmuring a thank you before he was whisked away inside the ambulance.
The speedster thought he would be needing firefighters too because his admiration for the mayor progressed to a flaming crush.
If all of these were indeed orchestrated and tactics to garner the love of the citizens, then they were doing a good job of it if they would ask him.
Though they really have to stop meeting like this.
The fourth time was when Mayor Queen went missing at Central City.
Right at that point, Barry was seriously considering suggesting an investment to better security for the mayor. Preferably those who could at least avoid him from getting kidnapped by human kidnappers under their noses.
The entire police department was clueless as to where Mayor might be, without any GPS to trail or a footage of kidnapping as a lead, that Joe had asked Barry if there was any way Team Flash could find the missing man.
Luckily there was.
Barry was led at the apex of one of the towers supporting the Central-Star Bridge.
Mayor Queen didn't appear to be thinking of suicide but Barry was tempted to immediately put him down a safe surface with the way the mayor was sitting precariously at the edge.
Goodness, there might be something wrong with Mayor Queen after all.
"Mr. Mayor?" the speedster asked cautiously, wind whipping on his face.
Mayor Queen turned to his side, eyes lighting up to find the Flash. "Hello, Flash." He smiled charmingly. "You came."
"They've been looking for you."
"I know."
Barry walked carefully towards him. He was being watched by the mayor who was looking at him with mirth (the nerve). Once apart by a few steps, Mayor Queen held out a hand which Barry gratefully took.
How easily Mayor Queen climbed the place, God only knew.
"What are you doing here? You could have fallen," was what Barry said the moment they were hand-on-hand, trying not to let his thoughts linger on the light spark he felt.
The mayor merely grinned when he said, "I don't have to be in a high place to know that I already did." He squeezed Barry's hand briefly before letting it go.
Barry blinked to get what that means.
Mayor Queen pocketed his palms and looked away. "As for the reason I'm here, I suppose I was expecting you to come. I haven't thanked you for saving me three times."
Barry shook his head. "The statements you released are enough."
"They're not in person though," Mayor Queen pointed out, directly looking at Barry now. "So thank you, Flash, for saving me."
The speedster turned away bashfully. "I, uh, it's fine, really. You know, every d—"
There was a light peck on the edge of his lips that instantly short-circuited his brain. As that wasn't safe for both their current position and for Barry's heart, the speedster brought the mayor down with him at the side of the road.
"Wha—Did you just kiss me?" he accused, feeling cheated because if there was anyone who was supposed to be stealing kisses here, it should be him.
"I did. To show my gratitude," Mayor Queen replied coolly.
"Oh," he mumbled lamely. "That's…"
"Not enough huh?"
"What? No."
"It's alright. Here." The mayor dismissed any protests when he gave him a small silver key.
"I know you're the mayor, but I don't think you should carelessly hand out the key to your city." Barry looked at the thing, unsure if he should be proud to warrant a key of Star City or worried for Mayor Queen's impulsiveness.
"Good thing it's a key to my apartment then." Mayor Queen leaned closer to his ear, whispering (thank God his coms were off), "Feel free to drop by any time."
It was in record-breaking speed when the Flash ran away with a face matching the shade of his suit.
Mayor Queen would be the death of him.
THE END
thanks for reading this trash