Once In A Lifetime
It wasn't as if he didn't trust Barry's power or capabilities. He didn't trust Barry's team, per se. They were still figuring out the extent of Barry's power even though he's been awake for months. Really, the only thing Barry had going for him was his speed and his body accommodating that new feat. It was up to Oliver to teach him how to defend himself and to throw back exactly what he received. With all of the meta-humans (which he grudgingly called them) out there, it seemed as if each power was special to the one containing it. The lightning didn't judge who was bad or good when striking people, it just did. So far, it seemed like more bad people were struck than the good because they had a purpose to use it. For bad deeds, obviously. So Oliver and Barry spent a couple hours a week going over self-defense and a bit of offensive moves. Barry's stamina could keep him going a lot longer than Oliver, so they were accommodating Oliver's human stamina more than they were Barry's meta-stamina.
Unfortunately, of fortunately depending on how you looked at it, Barry was smart. Barry was intuitive and could read people and understand them better than others. He was insightful.
"You're such an ass, Oli! Not trusting my team mean you don't trust my judge of character and that's saying a lot considering I'm dating you!" Barry yelled at him.
They were in the lobby of S.T.A.R. labs. Barry was currently yelling at him because he might have been just a tad bit over protective.
Oliver was watching Barry run on a treadmill that could accommodate his speed. It was amazing to watch his younger lover to exercise and get used to everything that he could do. It was out of the corner of his eyes were he could see Cisco turning the dial up for the speed.
"What are you doing?" Oliver asked.
"We have to continuously test Barry's speed, so we all see how fast he can go before he loses control. So far he's been able to pass every speed test. It just takes him a while to recover and he eats a lot of pasta," Cisco explained.
"He could get hurt," Oliver replied.
"He hasn't before. Even if he did, thankfully he has a fast reparation cycle, which means we have enough time to diagnose, set anything, and then he'll be as good as new within an hour or two," Cisco explained patiently.
"You willingly put him in danger because he can heal fast? Are you out of your mind?" Oliver demanded. "Turn it off. Now. I won't watch you intentionally injure him."
Cisco sighed and began to lower the speed on the dial until Barry was hoping off it and looked through the window confused. Barry entered the room and looked at them, "What's going on?" He asked.
Cisco shrugged, "Oliver didn't want to watch us conduct tests that put you in any potential danger."
Barry turned a sharp glare onto Oliver, "We need to talk."
That's where he was now. Getting his ass handed to him because he worried about his young lover.
"Barry," Oliver said calmly, catching his whipping hands in his own and steadying them, "Listen to me."
Barry sighed. He took that as his sign to continue on.
"How could I intentionally watch you injure yourself after what happened months ago? Try to stand in my place. After you were in a coma for nine months, can't you understand why I don't even want any harm done to you? I could only do so much," Oliver said softly.
Barry's kind eyes softened. "Oli," he said, exasperated.
"Barry," Oliver said, a small smile on his lips.
"How can I ever grow if you keep holding me back? I need to exert myself to my fullest capacity because I need to know where my limits are and it's very scary knowing that right now I have none when it comes to speed. I've passed every test flawlessly. I need to know where my limit is," Barry said.
"At what cost, though?" Oliver asked.
"No costs because then I know where the line is drawn and what I should never cross over. I have to be conscientious of what I do because every extra mile I run faster I am that much closer to finding out where my limit is," Barry said softly. "I need to know what my limit is, so that I don't ever jeopardize losing my powers for abusing them. You said that I had a chance to be a hero, a guardian angel over my city. Please, let me be that. Let me be that hope for my city."
Oliver sighed, shaking his head. "Barry, you know I could never say no to you," he sighed, looking his gifted boyfriend and smiling. "I'm so proud of you. I hope you know that. Nothing will ever change that."
"Then come watch me and be supportive, and when I get injured you can be the one to tend to my injuries and snarl at my teammates like an over protective boyfriend. Deal?" Barry said, sliding his arms around Oliver's waist.
Oliver chuckled, "Deal."
There would be a point in the very near future where Barry would be flung off the tread mill because Cisco didn't turn the dial as gradually as he usually did and it jolted him enough to cause a misstep and for him to go flying back into the cushion and padded wall. Oliver was the first one out there and at Barry's side.
And just like they agreed upon, Oliver tended to Barry's fractured wrist and pulled muscles in his calves. He climbed on the bed with him, holding him protectively to his chest and glaring at any of the team members who walked near them. Barry chuckled into Oliver's thick sweater.
"You're a bully," Barry said fondly.
"No. I'm a fiancé tending to my injured lover," Oliver corrected.
Barry blushed as he looked down to see a silver band on his ring finger.
"Just like we agreed on," Oliver added.
Barry smiled, "I love you."
"I know," Oliver said, leaning down for a soft kiss.
Barry's teammates watched from a distance with fond expressions, even though Oliver Queen intimidated them. They knew that he cared for Barry more than any of them could understand.