A/N. This is another one in the AU where Lionel is in charge of 33.1, not Lex. Lex is a good guy, and is friends with the League.
Oliver woke up as someone lifted the blankets the climb into his bed. He sat up and snapped on the bedside lamp, ready to fire a complaint. The words died on his lips when he saw who had woken him up.
Bart hugged himself, looking even younger than usual in the giant red T-shirt that was hanging off one shoulder. He blinked as his eyes adjusted, holding his new stuffed octopus in the crook of one arm.
"Bart, what are you doing in here?" Oliver asked, rubbing his eyes.
"I can't sleep," Bart said sheepishly.
Oliver nodded and slumped back, trying to think. AC and Victor had gone to check out reports of another superhero working in Fawcett City and Clark was having one of his guilt-ridden solo episodes. He was on his own.
He sighed. "Okay, Bart. You can stay here, just for tonight."
Bart lit up and eagerly climbed in next to Oliver. While he got settled, Oliver switched off the light.
"Thanks, Ollie. I was about to go crazy, staring at the ceiling by myself."
"Sure, no problem, Bart. Why is it so hard to sleep by yourself, though? Didn't you manage before I found you?"
Bart was quiet, but Oliver could hear him fidgeting.
"It's just not as restful by myself," he said. "I move around all the time and I wake of tireder than when I went to sleep. I'm hungry, too. And sometimes I have bad dreams."
Oliver's gut clenched at the fear in Bart's voice. He didn't know much about the young speedster's past before he'd come off the streets to join the team. Suddenly feeling protective, he found Bart in the darkness and pulled him close. Bart snuggled into his side, his slim form fitting comfortably against Oliver's.
"Well, don't worry. Bad dreams don't dare come near Green Arrow. They're too worried about being used for target practice," he promised.
"Wow," Bart said, and Oliver could just imagine his eyes getting round. "Maybe I should learn archery!"
Oliver chuckled and ruffled Bart's hair. "In the morning, buddy."
"Okay, cool!" Bart replied and burrowed his face into Oliver's shoulder. Within minutes, he was fast asleep and totally limp.
Oliver lay awake, thinking. He had seen Bart sleeping before; it was one of the speedster's favorite things to do if nothing was happening. When no one was with him, he shifted positions every two seconds. Oliver had to admit, it didn't look very restful.
If someone was with him, though, even if they were just sitting next to him as he slept, Bart was totally still. Oliver could only assume it was a weird speedster quirk, but it was clearly bothering Bart a lot.
Every night, more or less, he crawled in with Victor or AC and could be found in the morning, tangled up in some position that looked impossibly uncomfortable. Oliver wondered if there was some kind of substitute that would work, because it kind of annoyed the guys. Maybe, as an experiment, Oliver would get Bart a giant teddy bear.
If that didn't work, he'd talk to Victor and AC, and Clark too, and everyone would be supportive. Oliver smiled in the darkness and finally fell asleep with Bart a still ball of warmth secure against his side.