A/N: High school AU. Warnings for angst, but mostly fluff and humor. Joe embarrasses Barry, then Joe and Len have a heart to heart talk.
Len dawdles picking up Lisa, not sure how much time Barry needs, exactly, to talk to Iris. With each step towards his house, he tries to imagine what he would say if he was about to tell his best friend that not only is he bisexual, but that he has a boyfriend – a boy who happened to be one of the biggest bullies in school when they first met. Of course, Len's best friend, for the most part, is his sister Lisa, and the two of them are mentally attached at the hip. Sometimes, she seems to know what he's thinking before he has a clue, so he can't even picture being in the situation Barry's in.
As for other kids from school that Len considers quasi-friends, they probably won't ever find out about him and Barry – at least, not from him. And if they do? Len doesn't see that he'll care what they'll think about it.
It'll just make things easier for both him and Barry in the long run if they don't know.
By the time Len arrives back at the West House with his sister, it's after sunset. They catch Joe walking from his car to the door with three pies in his arms.
"Let me get the door for you, Mr. West," Len offers, racing up the stairs to open the unlocked door.
"Thank you, Leonard," Joe says with a grateful nod and a confused expression at Len's display. He's a well-behaved kid, but rushing to open doors isn't usually his style. It harkens back to the days when Len's behavior was questionable, his motives suspicious, and he made a point of calling Joe "Mr. West" to soften the blow of his presence around the house.
Seeing as it's making a comeback, Joe can't help wondering why.
Iris and Barry bound down the steps at the sound of Joe entering with food and their guests, and the living room immediately fills with laughter, teasing, and a three-way overlapping conversation.
"Hey," Len says. Lisa and Iris cover his and Barry's conversation with talk about a mauve sequined dress Iris saw on Etsy. "How did things go with…" He motions toward Iris, who peeks at them and gives them a sly smile.
"It went okay," Barry says. "But, she thinks I should tell Joe…you know…about us…tonight."
Len bites the inside of his cheek. "That might be a good idea, seeing as you're on a roll and all, and surrounded by friends who support you. Still, I'm a little surprised."
"By what?"
"That she didn't try to blackmail you or anything."
"Actually," Barry says, blushing fire engine red from the roots of his hair, "she wanted me to tell her if you're a good kisser. She wanted details."
"Why in the hell would she want that?" Len asks, somewhat annoyed, but with a belly laugh.
Barry one-arm shrugs. "She says you look like you'd be an amazing kisser."
"And?" Len asks, moving in slightly, his eyes pinned on Barry's mouth, focused, and full of unspoken promises.
"And…you are" – Barry bites his lip – "but no way was I telling her that. That's between you and me."
Len leans in farther as they trail Lisa and Iris to the kitchen. "You bet your ass it is."
Barry snickers and looks away, trying not to laugh too hard and give them both away.
Joe watches the kids practically stampede into the kitchen – just four regular kids doing their own thing. But Joe's curiosity over whatever Len, and now Barry, are so carefully keeping to themselves sticks to the back of Joe's skull, solidifying its place there when Lisa and Iris take the lead through the doorway, and Len and Barry hang back. It happens in less than a second. They share a look. Barry smiles, his face turning bright red before he glances away, with Len following behind him, looking pleased.
But not ribbing my friend pleased.
More like…flirting pleased.
It gives Joe pause, but not for too long before the kids clamor back in with plates, napkins, cups, and soda. So Joe files that moment away with a handful of other odd behaviors he's noticed from Barry and Len over the past few weeks, waiting for the right time to bring them up.
Len and Lisa have been over for dinner at the West House plenty of times, and they blend in with Joe, Barry, and Iris really well. Even when Len and Barry weren't exactly the best of friends, and Joe suspected that Len had developed an interest in being friends with Barry to help him and his sister escape a difficult home environment, things were still pleasant once they sat around the dining room table with a plate in front of them.
Dinner starts out fine. Lisa and Len thank Joe for the invitation to dinner, mentioning that it's been a while since they've had pizza from an actual pizzeria. Len jokingly reminisces about Lisa's attempt to make pizza at home using a stack of day old tortillas, tomato sauce from scratch, and American cheese instead of mozzarella. He doesn't have to say much more for everyone to know it had ended in disaster.
Lisa tosses a pepperoni at her brother, grazing his cheek.
The kids continue to banter, talking rapid fire about school, sports practices, the upcoming science fair, and some commotion that happened at lunch involving the vice principal and a curdled, five-gallon bucket of coleslaw. Everyone starts laughing so hard over that that Joe can't catch a single word.
He feels left out for fifteen minutes until they settle down.
"So, Spring Fling's coming up," Joe adds when the conversation lulls, showing he's still with it as far as teenager small talk is concerned. "I heard the theme this year is The Golden Age of Comics."
"Yeah," Lisa snickers. "Who came up with that as a theme?"
"The idea is to pair up your fave hero with their nemesis and go as that, but you know no one will. No one ever gets into the swing of the fling," Iris says, using air quotes to highlight the school dance's lame tagline.
"That theme seems to be handpicked for you, Barry," Joe mentions. "Any thoughts about going this year?"
"Well, it's a girl ask guy dance," Barry says. "And in two years, so far, no girl's ever asked me…" Barry raises his eyes to look at Len and sees him sitting rigidly in his seat, his posture locked, eyes trained on his plate, chewing like he might have something to say on the subject. "But, that's okay," Barry continues, thinking this might be the perfect time for his big reveal, "because I…"
"Barry might have himself a date to the Spring Fling this year after all," Iris cuts in, completely out of nowhere. The second the words leave her mouth, the four kids stiffen.
"Iris!" Lisa says under her breath.
Iris clamps a hand over her mouth with a surprised yelp, as if her body reacted before her mind had the chance.
"Oh my God!" she squeaks.
She wasn't talking about Len. In the giddy, upbeat, tidal wave of conversation, she'd completely forgotten. She was referring to a girl in Barry's science class, Moira Pellings, who had been hinting on a crush with Barry for weeks. Before Barry had told Iris about his relationship with Len, she had been waiting for her chance to poke fun at him about it.
"Iris!" Barry hisses, eyes popping from his skull. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"
"But, I didn't mean…" her eyes flick subconsciously to Len, then back to Barry, which Joe definitely noticed. "I was…I was talking about Moira. That girl you've been tutoring? The one who draws little hearts on all of the assignments you help her with?"
"I know who you're talking about," Barry scolds between his teeth, eyes shifting between her and his sullen boyfriend. He hadn't wanted to bring that up either.
"Moira…Pellings?" Len asks, eyes flaring.
"Len?" Lisa says, putting a hand over his to calm her jealous brother down before he does something rash, like get up and leave.
"Uh…yeah," Barry replies, starting to stammer like crazy. "I-I was gonna tell you, b-but it doesn't matter…b-because I don't want to go with her anyway. I'm not going with her. I'm not going with anyone because…" Barry stops, swallowing so hard, a huge lump slides down his throat and crash lands in his chest. "I thought…"
And then, all at once, the four of them go silent. They don't even take a breath. There they sit, quietly devouring their meal, each with their head hanging, as if waiting for a hammer to drop. A normal, peaceful, pizza dinner has turned into the quietest, most strained meal at the West household that Barry can remember since that night a year ago when he and Iris went for a joyride in Joe's car…and totaled it.
Barry turns to look at Len.
Len's eyes dart to Lisa.
Lisa glances at Iris.
Iris's eyes flutter towards her dad.
Joe lifts his head, the unsettling air of gazes shifting around the table a huge distraction while he's busy tucking into his third slice of pizza. He looks one by one, brow quirked, at the four tense teenagers sitting at his table, barely picking at their slices (except for Len, who is also on his third slice, but eating it slowly). They're acting way too guilty for his taste. One broody teenager is bad enough. Two is downright terrifying. But four? Joe expects to hear sirens any minute, with an accompanying call on his cell. The suspense starts turning his stomach, something he refuses to have happen on pizza night, not when he splurged on Bella Rosa's, the best pizza restaurant in Central City.
"So," Joe says, dabbing his mouth with his napkin, "would someone like to tell me what's going on?"
All eyes snap to Barry and he knows it, so he refuses to look up and acknowledge them.
"I see," Joe says, fiddling with a corner of his napkin, wiping grease from his fingertips. "Barry?"
"Yes, sir?" Barry responds after a second harder, more painful swallow, eyes finally rising from his plate, looking only at Joe.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Uh…" Suddenly, Barry can't say a word, his ears ringing so loudly he can't hear himself think.
"Hey, Lisa," Iris says, "I just got the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. You wanna try doing a smoky eye?"
"Yeah," Lisa says, picking up her plate. "Sounds like a plan."
"Barry" – Len grabs his plate and his glass of soda – "I'm gonna go read in your room. Finish my dinner up there."
"Wait, what?" Barry looks at his boyfriend with the sting of betrayal in his eyes. "Why?"
"Because, I think you guys should have this talk alone. And besides" – Len chuckles – "this is really uncomfortable for me."
Barry watches his friends depart, his traitorous boyfriend the last to leave him alone in the lurch. Joe doesn't say a word until the footsteps stop and doors close. When the house goes quiet, he turns his sights on Barry.
"Why don't we move to the sofa?" Joe says, standing from the dining room table and heading for the living room. He settles into usual spot on the sofa and waits for Barry to join him.
Barry abandons what's left of his pizza and walks sluggishly in, delaying the inevitable for as long as possible.
"So," Joe says, starting while Barry drags his feet, "how long were you guys gonna keep dating in secret before one of you manned up and told me?"
Barry sits heavily on the opposite end of the couch, his jaw dropped. "How did you know?"
"I'd be a pretty horrible cop if I didn't have the two of you figured out," Joe chuckles. "But that's not the point. Why do kids always think their parents are ignorant? You guys aren't exactly stealthy, you know…or quiet."
"Oh, God," Barry murmurs.
"Yup," Joe says. "That's what I hear…over and over..."
"Oh, God," Barry repeats, gasping like a nauseated trout, his face going white when he realizes he only made it worse by saying it again. "W-why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I thought it might be difficult for you. I wanted you to come to me on your own, though I did have a deadline. Considering the amount of time you guys spend locked up in that room, I figured I would need to give you a refresher on the talk."
"Oh, no." Barry's face goes from white to translucent. "Please, no. Not that."
"Alright, alright," Joe concedes, waving Barry's objection off. "You're a bright guy. I trust you to do the right thing."
"Thank you," Barry says, sighing with relief.
"But, just so you know, if you ever need to talk, or you have any questions…"
"I know, I know," Barry says with an emphatic nod, hoping to rush things along. "You're here for me."
"Or if you want help buying protection…" Joe continues, not willing to let this torment end so painlessly. Iris isn't as easy to fluster as Barry. This might be Joe's only chance to truly embarrass the hell out of one of his kids.
"Joe…" Barry pleads.
"…or advice…"
"Joe…" This time, it comes out a whine, tinged with awkwardness and a chaser of disgust.
"I mean, I haven't done it like that personally," Joe says, adding vague but disturbing hand gestures to stress his point, "but I figure the mechanics are the same..."
The next sound out of Barry's mouth isn't even a word; just a horrified squeak.
"Hey! I can pick up some pamphlets down at the free clinic. Maybe rent a video. We can watch it together. It'll be a bonding thing…"
"Oh, God," Barry groans, then his face crumples, and Joe bursts out, cackling hysterically. Barry grabs a pillow from the sofa and stuffs it over his face.
"Well, I'd say my work here is done," Joe says, clapping Barry on the shoulder. "Why don't you go upstairs and get your boyfriend down here. I wanna have a word with him, too."
Barry sprints off the sofa, anxious to put that conversation behind him, and barrels up the stairs, Joe's mildly evil chuckling following as he goes.
"What did he say?" Len asks when Barry walks in to the bedroom, looking like he might vomit.
"Uh, he…he wants to talk to you," Barry sputters out, sitting down on the bed the way he did on the couch – heavily, like his knees don't want to keep his legs straight anymore.
"Oh," Len says, his face blank, concerned by Barry's reaction. "O-okay."
Len gets up off the mattress and watches Barry climb on, turning on to his side with a pillow clutched to his stomach, facing the wall. Len shivers. All he can think of is the way conversations go with his father, and all of a sudden he considers going out the window instead of down the stairs.
But this isn't his father's house; it's Joe's. Joe West. Decorated police office at the CCPD, and as far as Len knows, certified father of the year. Whatever's waiting for Len downstairs can't really be as bad as all that. Barry's overreacting.
He walks toward the bedroom door, but stops when he hears Barry whimper. He looks over his shoulder at his boyfriend and sees him bury his face in the pillow.
Window, Len thinks. It's not that far a drop. He won't break anything important. He can come back for Lisa later. Or just leave her here. Maybe Joe will take her in the way he took in Barry. Raise her as his own.
Len might have found that thought funny if she wouldn't actually be so much better off.
"Leonard?" he hears Joe call up from the living room. "Can I talk to you a minute?"
"Uh…" Len calls back. "Yeah. Sure."
He takes a deep breath, but it doesn't keep his stomach from flipping somersaults. He walks down the stairs, up to the sofa, and sits down - back straight, face emotionless, ready to get whatever Joe wants to say to him…or do to him…over with.
Joe doesn't speak right away, appraising him with brown eyes, thoughtful and perceptive. Len knows that Joe already talked to Barry, and that Barry folds in the face of Joe West. Joe probably knows everything.
So, what's he waiting for?
Len wonders if this is a cop technique. Maybe Joe's trying to unnerve him.
Unfortunately, it's working.
"Look," Len says when he can't take anymore staring, "I know what you're going to say."
"Really?" Joe says. "And what am I going to say?"
"You're going to say that Barry's a nice kid, a decent kid, that he deserves to be treated well, and that I'd better not hurt him, or else." Those are the things Len imagined a good father would say, what a younger Len thought his father would say when Lisa started bringing boys home. Len figured out a long time ago that his dad won't, so he decided that he would.
Not that boys ask Lisa out, and that was mostly because of him.
"You're close," Joe says. "I know that you and Barry had it rough in the beginning, and I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all."
"I know," Len says. "And I understand."
"But," Joe interjects, "I've watched you grow up a lot, kid. You've changed, and I know you did it all on your own. I just want to see you keep going, keep improving. Go from being a good kid to a great man. No matter what happens in your life, no matter what happens between you and Barry in the future, whether you stay together, or you part ways, keep doin' what you're doin'."
"I will," Len says. "I promise."
"And be good to him, alright? He deserves it."
"He deserves the world," Len says, and Joe, stunned, nods in agreement.
"You've got that right."
There's a moment of silence, and Len waits for the rest. When the rest doesn't come, he smirks. "What? You're not gonna threaten me, or give me an or else?"
"Yeah," Joe says. "Be good to him, or else…you're gonna miss out on something amazing." Joe pats Len on the knee, then gets up off the sofa. "Go on," he says when Len doesn't do the same. "Go see your boyfriend. Show him you ain't dead."
Len watches Joe return to the dining room and his slice of pizza. And that's it. The big, intimidating talk done with. And it didn't come with yelling, an insult, or a slug to the jaw. It came with compassion, reassurance, understanding, and words of encouragement. Because that's what a good father does.
That's what a good man does.
Sometimes, between the ass-hats at school and working with his father and his father's loser associates, Len forgets that good men exist in the world, that there are some guys who don't put up fronts when company comes over and then slam their kids into a wall when they leave.
If there was ever a man Len could look up to, it would be Joe West. He's just glad that Joe doesn't see him as a do-nothing delinquent anymore.
Len gets off the couch and hurries up the stairs, surprised with himself at how eager he is to get back to Barry, how drawn he is to him. He has a connection with Barry that he's never felt with anyone aside from Lisa, like he always wants to be by his side. He walks into Barry's room, and finds him still lying on the bed, baseball in his hands but not tossing it in the air. He's just fidgeting with it, spinning it around with his fingers and practicing different holds.
"So, did he threaten you?" Barry asks nervously. Len closes the door, then makes a grabbing motion and Barry tosses him the ball. "Did he show you his gun? Did he tell you he had a shovel and that they'd never find your body?"
"Nah," Len says. He drops on the bed beside Barry, scooting close enough to knock elbows with him, and tosses the ball at an angle so Barry can catch it. They've perfected this synchrony, this dance of juggling the ball in the air back and forth, just like they've managed to do with everything else between them so far. "Joe's a good guy. He just wants to know that I'm gonna treat you well."
Barry sighs, tossing the ball back. "Well, he could have just asked me. I would have told him."
Len catches the ball, then tosses it up and over to Barry. "I know. But I think he needed to hear it from the horse's mouth. You know, look me in the face when I answered his questions, see my reactions. Then he'd know for sure. For his own peace of mind."
Because that's another thing Len figured a good dad would want. It's something, again, that his father wouldn't do.
"I guess," Barry concedes. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Moira."
Len nods. He catches the ball, but pauses before he throws it again. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because, honestly, she doesn't matter," Barry says. "She's not even a blip on my radar now that I have you. You're the only person I care about like that. If I was going to go to that stupid dance, it would be with you, and only you."
Barry expects Len to roll his eyes, or make some kind of smart remark, but instead he looks flattered.
"Thanks, Barry," he says, passing Barry the ball.
"You're welcome." Barry squeezes the baseball with his fingertips. "So, what are you and Lisa gonna do now?"
"I figure we'd hang out a bit longer, and then I'd take Lisa home."
"Yeah," Barry says, disappointed, clutching the ball to his chest. "Okay."
"But, that still gives me about an hour." Len rolls on to his side and faces his boyfriend. "Was there anything special you wanted to do?"
Barry turns toward Len, a reluctant smile tugging his lips. "Well," he says, creeping closer, "I was kinda thinking that maybe…"
"Yeah?" Len shifts to close the gap between them faster.
"…we could…"
"Yes…?" Len leans in, eyes on Barry's lips, his tongue licking over his own but so close he brushes the skin of Barry's mouth.
"…spend the next hour…"
"Go on…"
"…with my mouth…"
"A-ha…"
"…on your…"
"Yes, Barry…Oh, God…"
Barry's eyes snap wide at those words before the knocking even begins.
BANG BANG BANG!
Barry's bedroom door flies open and Joe pokes his head in.
"Door open, boys," he says, knocking on the wood sharply and grinning when the two boys jump apart, Barry moving so fast that he knocks his head against the wall. "Remember…I'm watching you…always watching…"
Joe backs out slowly, eyeing each boy with a ridiculous dad-stare, before heading down the hallway, leaving Barry's bedroom door completely open.
"Great." Barry falls on to his back. "Now that everyone knows, us making out's going to take a hit."
"We'll just have to get more creative." Len snatches the baseball from Barry's hands. "But for tonight, I think this is the only ball either one of us is going to be playing with, so we'd better make the most of it."
"Yeah," Barry says. "Oh, and Len? Could you do me a favor?"
"Name it."
"Don't…ever say oh God again."