"This is so cool!" Oliver looks like a little kid in a candy shop as he gazes around the lush island of Themyscria.

Diana glares sternly at Oliver, "You are not to touch anything nor talk to anyone while you are here," Diana turns her gaze towards Barry, "You will watch him and make sure he does nothing out of line." Barry nods, eyes wide. "The business with my mother should not take long and then we can continue on with our real business." Diana throws the boys one last glare before leaving to find her mother.

"This is so cool!" Oliver repeats, eyes widening and a grin growing as he spots several bows. Oliver rushes forwards towards them, coming to a screeching halt when Barry appears in front of him and forcibly stopping him.

"We're not supposed to touch anything, remember?" Barry crosses his arms and glares at his husband.

"Aw, c'mon Bear! I just want to look at the bows, that's it, I swear!"

Barry's frown deepens, "No, Oliver, no touching."

Oliver leers at him, "That's not what you were saying last night."

"Why did I marry you?" Barry sighs in exasperation.

Oliver grins, "You love me, really."

Barry gives him a small smile, "Yeah."

"So will you please let me touch the bow just once?" Oliver gives Barry his best version of puppy-dog eyes but Barry is not swayed. The two continue their stare-off for several moments until an Amazon approaches the pair.

"You are the fast one, correct?" She asks Barry.

Barry nods, "Yes. Can I help you?"

"I had some questions for you on behalf of Princess Diana." Barry smiles and follows her towards a shade tree, dragging Oliver behind him. Oliver pouts the entire time he's held captive, Barry's hand heavy on his thigh. Oliver grins when Barry gets so absorbed in his conversation that he forgets the reason he was being so touchy-feely. Oliver immediately makes a beeline for the bows.

Oliver gleefully picks up one of the bows and starts inspecting it with the same care he takes with all his bows. "Interesting…" He mutters to himself before setting it down and picking up another for comparison. The process was repeated several more times before his inspection was interrupted by an angry shriek. Oliver looks up, startled with a panicked look on his face.

"How dare you?" Another Amazon storms up to Oliver, eyes blazing with anger. "How dare you touch the sacred bows of the Amazons?" The Amazon snatches the bow out of his hands and strikes him across the face with enough force to send him sprawling on the ground. Her foot comes to rest on his throat and she stares down at him in contempt.

The commotion brings several other Amazons running, including the one who was conversing with Barry. Barry looks at the empty spot next to him in dismay and hesitantly follows. Among the women to appear are Diana and her mother. "What is the meaning of all this ruckus?" Diana demands.

The Amazon gestures with her bow towards Oliver, who was cowering under her boot. "This cretin was touching all of our bows." Angry mutters flow throughout the gathered Amazons.

"Please," Barry pleads, "He didn't mean any harm by-"

"SILENCE!" Several Amazons bellow at him, causing Barry to flinch back from their wrath.

"Adoni, let's be reasonable," Diana says towards the women with her foot at Oliver's neck, "They are not accustomed to our ways. Surely we can find a compromise."

Adoni snarls, "I think selling him to labor in the workshop of Hephaestus would be too kind," Many of the other Amazons present mutter their agreement, much to Barry's increasing dismay.

Diana looks at Barry for several long seconds, throughout which the Amazons are voicing their increasingly violent opinions on what they should do with Oliver. "I think," Diana states, causing all the women to fall silent, "that a compromise can be reached. Barry, you would do anything to see him safe and alive?"

Barry rapidly nods his head and promises, "Anything."

Diana smiles, "Then how about a race?"

An uproar started, "He is not racing you, Diana! You are biased!" A fair-skinned Amazon cries, "You could let him win and we wouldn't be any wiser for it!"

Diana's smile grows, "Then how about I ask my brother, Hermes? Is he not the fleetest Olympian?" Several of the Amazonians begin to nod, liking the idea.

"And the stakes?" Adoni purses her lips in consideration, "If Hermes is to win?"

"Then you can sell both of us into Hephaestus' workshop!" Barry interjects, "We'd willingly go if I lost."

Diana nods, "Yes. And if Barry wins, then we let both of them go free with a promise of never returning."

Adoni nods her agreement, "The stakes are acceptable."

"Good," Diana grins, "I shall go ask my brother. Please do nothing to them until I return," Then she is gone.

Barry stares at the gathered women awkwardly for a few seconds before bravely asking, "Could you at least let him stand?" Adoni regretfully lets him up, tugging Oliver's arms behind his back and places a dagger across his neck so Barry couldn't grab him and make a break for it. Barry smiles reassuringly at Oliver and then tells Adoni, "Thank you."

The minutes pass slowly, the Amazons glaring at both men while Barry fidgets with his uniform and Oliver makes sure to keep his neck as far away from the dagger as possible. Eventually, Diana returns with a young man bearing a staff with two serpents wrapped around it.

"Lord Hermes," The Amazons intone as one, bowing.

"Lord Hermes," Queen Hippolyta smiles warmly at the god, "thank you for agreeing to this race."

Hermes grins, "I've heard a lot about the Flash and I've been wanting to test myself against the fastest man alive."

"I hope I don't disappoint," Barry smiles awkwardly at him.

Hermes' grin widens, "I'm sure you won't. Now, Diana, what is our course?"

"I leave the course making to Adoni, so she deems I am not being biased," Diana replies, gesturing towards the woman.

Adoni inclines her head in acknowledgment, "Thank you, Princess," Adoni goes on to describe the course, pausing only to clarify when Barry doesn't understand a marker.

"Is all clear?" Hippolyta asks, receiving two affirmative nods, "Then ready yourselves."

Barry approaches Oliver and asks Adoni, "May I have a moment alone with my husband?"

Adoni's expression softens marginally, "You are a brave man to stand up for your husband. You may speak, but only for a moment for then you must race for both of your lives."

Adoni leaves the two of them, backing only far enough away to give them privacy but close enough to contain any escape attempt. Barry looks deep into Oliver's eyes and announces, "You're a dumbass."

Oliver flushes, "Yeah, I have to agree with you this time."

Barry nods, "Uh huh, you so owe me for this."

"You're confident that you'll win?" Oliver asks, before realizing his mistake and rapidly starting to backpedal, "Not that I'm not confident you'll win. I mean, you're the fastest man alive! You're amazing! You're-"

Barry puts his hand over Oliver's mouth, "You're rambling," Barry grinningly informs him, "And Diana wouldn't have suggested this if she wasn't confident that I could win. It'll probably be a close one, but I have a lot more to lose if I don't win." Barry cups Oliver's face, "I'll win this for you."

"For us," Oliver corrects, "Win this for the both of us."

Barry kisses his husband, lingering and not eager to leave his side, "I love you."

Oliver smiles, "I love you too. Kick his ass, baby."

Barry laughs, "You got it."

Diana approaches the pair, "It is time. Are you ready, Flash?"

Barry nods confidently despite his worries, "I'm ready."

"This is going to be awesome!" Hermes exclaims, brandishing his staff about in exuberance, "I'm sure you'll do great, kid!" Hermes thumps Barry on the back, causing him to wince at the force.

The pair square off at a hastily drawn starting line and shoot off the second Diana gives the go-ahead. "Run Barry, run!" Oliver shouts after Barry. Barry grins to himself.

The pair is halfway through the course when Barry realizes that Hermes is slowly pulling ahead. Barry gives another burst of speed, trying to make up the difference but instead, he trips over a branch and goes sprawling. Hurridly he stands and starts running again but panic overtakes his senses as Hermes pulls even farther ahead. "Nonononononono!" Barry's eyes are blown open in fear, terrified that he'll lose the race.

"Calm, young speedster," A gentle and feminine voice chimes in his head, "You will win this race if you heed my advice."

"Who are you?" Barry asks, thinking he might be going crazy from all the stress he's putting his body under. Barry leaps over the cliffside, forgoing the bridge.

The voice chuckles, "I am the Speed Force. You create me with every step you take. It is because of you I live," The Speed Force sighs, "It is now time for me to give you a gift."

Barry hits a bubble of time, everything standing still. Barry looks ahead and gasps because Hermes was stopped in his tracks. The wind was standing still and the seagull above him was mid-flap. "What is happening?"

"I have stopped you in a time bubble. It exists out of the time stream," The Speed Force sounds amused at his awe, "Every speedster has a lightning rod, the person that they can always find no matter where or when they are in time. Find your lightning rod, think of them when you run. Feel the Speed Force that you create with every step you take. Can you feel it, Barry?"

Barry nods, "Yeah...It's incredible. It's like I'm made of lightning."

The Speed Force sends a happy feeling through Barry, expressing her delight, "Use that feeling and go faster than you have ever gone before. Keep reaching out for that feeling every time you run. Keep going faster."

"What do you get in return?"

"Me? I get to live," The Speed Force glows on a plane that Barry can see, showing her happiness, "You give me life. Now, Barry, it is time for you to run like never before. He may be Hermes, but nowhere in his job description did it say he was the fastest being alive as that title is held solely for you. So run Barry, run."

The time bubble pops and suddenly everything is moving again, including Barry. Barry focuses on his husband's face in his mind's eye and suddenly a zap of lightning rushes through his body. Feeling energized, Barry puts on a great amount of speed and he's suddenly running neck and neck with Hermes once more. Barry focuses on that same feeling and suddenly he's moving faster than he ever had before. In a blur almost too fast for him to see, he's crossing the finish line with Hermes far in the distance behind him.

Barry stands rooted still in shock, eyes blown open with awe. Hermes appears several seconds later, visibly panting with exertion, "Kid, that was amazing!" Hermes praises Barry, "I thought that it would be a close race with you winning, but I didn't realize you could run that fast!"

"I- I didn't know I could run that fast either." Barry stammers, still in shock.

Adoni regretfully lets Oliver go. He rushes over to Barry and pulls him into a bearhug, "Oh honey, that was incredible!" Oliver cheers, "I knew you could do it!"

Diana approaches the couple with a smile gracing her face, "That was truly incredible, Barry. How did you go so fast?"

Barry shrugs, settling into his husband's side, "The Speed Force. She told me to focus on my lightning rod."

"Your lightning rod?" Oliver questions in confusion.

"You."

"What?" Oliver still stares at Barry in confusion.

"You're my lightning rod. Whenever or wherever I am in time, I'll be able to focus on you and come back. She told me that I created her, that I create the Speed Force every time I run so I can tap into her power more than other speedsters. Apparently, that's what I just did." Barry explains with a shrug.

"How was it?" Oliver asks, excited.

Barry grins, "It was incredible."

Diana smiles at her friends, "While I am excited that the both of you will not become slaves, it is time for you to leave."

"And never return?" Oliver rolls his eyes.

"Yes," Diana confirms, "And never return."

"Fine," Oliver grumbles, going to grab his own bow and quiver. After he returns, the pair returns to the Javelin they arrived in. Diana leads the pair while Hermes follows up the rear.

Diana and Oliver board the jet, but Hermes stops Barry, "You have an incredible gift."

"Thank you."

Hermes smiles, "Today I learned that I may be the swiftest Olympian but you truly are the fastest being alive." Hermes offers his hand, "Thank you for a good race."

Barry smiles and replies, "Thank you for helping me save my husband."

Hermes nods, "May your feet ever be fleet."

"Yours as well," Barry turns and enters the jet, cuddling up next to his husband and smiling at Diana in the cockpit, "You're not going to tell anyone about this, are you Diana?"

"I know I'm not," Oliver sarcastically replies, "Why would I tell anyone that my husband won a race against the god Hermes? Not like it's fucking incredible or anything."

Barry rolls his eyes at his husband and sternly tells him, "You won't say a word."

"But-"

"Not a word or you won't be getting any sex out of me for a very long time."

Oliver pouts, "Fine."

"Oh, perhaps I won't," Diana gives them a secretive little smirk, "Or perhaps I will. We'll see…"

Barry lets the matter drop but he's cursing himself when a week later Green Lantern and Hawkwoman won't shut up about how incredible his running is and how he beat Hermes in a foot race and how he's practically a god with how fast he can run. Barry wishes he had groveled and made Diana promise not to tell. Barry shakes his head when he spots Oliver bragging to anyone dumb enough to stand still about how incredible his husband is.

Barry approaches Oliver, shooing off the other supers, "Hey."

"Hey!" Oliver gives him a quick kiss.

"Let's get out of here, yeah?"

"Oh? And do what?"

Barry grins, "I'm sure we can think of something…"

"I like the sound of that. Going to use your speed on me, oh god of running?" Oliver leers, yelping when Barry hits him over the head.

"Come on, dumbass. Let's go home and cuddle while we watch trashy daytime TV." Barry takes Oliver's arm and drags him towards the Watchtower teleporter.

Watching the pair, Green Lantern complains, "They're so disgusting."

"Yeah," Hawkwoman laughs, "disgustingly in love."

"You got me there," Green Lantern sighs, "Ain't no one ever been as in love as those two are with each other."