Some people are so poor, all they have is money

"Was it cold?"

"We lived in a train station."

"Yes, i'm aware. But was it cold?"

"What kind of an idiot would ask a question like that?"


He went to visit Bart every morning before his daily scavenging.

And it was always the highlight of his day.

Bart was probably the nicest boy he had met in ages. He even rivalled that of Gar's kindness, which was pretty impressive, considering Gar was, well...Gar! He was also the prettiest boy Jaime had met in a while. So, Jaime couldn't help but feel all weird and tingly when he was around him, only because he would be considered what a lot of people saw as "good looking".

Of course, he said this in the most platonic way possible. He and Bart were just friends.

Nothing more, nothing less.

But still, he couldn't help but feel his cheeks start to heat up when Bart stared at him with his pullulating green eyes, or get all hot and embarrassed when he smiled over at him and pushed some of his ginger-like hair from his eyes.

He wouldn't deny the fact that he found Bart slightly attractive.

He would, however, deny wanting to be romantically infatuated with the young boy. Because, he wasn't. There was nothing between he and Bart. Nothing at all. No chemistry, no secret "love" starting to form.

His life was not a story book. And, if it was, it was a tragedy. Not a romance.

Still, he and Bart actually became very close. Unlike the others at the train station, who he saw every day and could easily tire of, the young boy was a breath of fresh air. Something new to explore. An "adventure", if you would.

Jaime always went to go and visit him in the little hideout that he had accidentally stumbled upon what now seemed like eons ago. It was warm and nice and just felt more like a proper home then where Jaime actually lived (if you could call that living...). The entire thing was a new experience, and Jaime was going to milk as much out of it as he could.

Perhaps this was what he had been searching for all his life.

Perhaps.

But once again, despite their closeness, Jaime had to reiterate the fact that they were just friends. All this to say, Jaime liked Bart. But, he didn't like him.

Confusing. Yes, he knew.

The two seemed to get along so swiftly, it was like they had known each other all their lives. As though they were closer than the closest of friends. And, it was amazing! The fact that you could meet someone you had never known before and right off the bat just..."click".

He and Bart had definitely "clicked", that was for sure.

Anyways, they usually just hung around where they had first met, talking lowly and giggling softly so that the others would not hear them. Usually, they played game like hide-and-go-seek or "I Spy", despite knowing basically all of the hiding spots and things in the small and compact space. But, it didn't really matter.

In the end, they were having fun. So, it was okay.

But, sometimes, Jaime admitted that he wanted more. He wanted to move and run around. He wasn't one to be limited to tiny spaces for long periods of time. And, he frequently found himself bored crammed between those heating pipes, despite being with Bart.

Bart whom, apparently, very much enjoyed being in his place of comfort. He evidently preferred staying in the safe haven that was the heating pipes, for there was no danger there. Nothing was assured out in the big bad world, yes, but Bart wasn't going to get anything done by being a sitting duck in this damned place! He had tried explaining this to the boy once, whilst attempting to convince him to go outside with him. But, Bart had blatantly refused to listen to anything Jaime had to say. So, Jaime was stuck being stranded inside with a really cool person that he wanted to be outside with.

Yes, they occasionally went outside for small walks. But that was only occasionally and they always stayed near the "base". They never ventured out as far as Jaime would like to, anyways. And, that was fine, he supposed. After all, Bart was one of those people who would rather stick closer to home. Maybe he was scared of venturing off too far to find the "adventure" that Jaime so craved for.

He didn't want to push the boy. He didn't want to undo all the trust that they had built up over the last couple of months.

So, Jaime waited.

Waited for the day when Bart would finally be ready to walk further than a few steps away from his safety zone. Waited for him to be ready to realize that there was more to life than a couple of heating pipes. That, in order to find yourself, you had to go and try as well as experience new things!

Follow the train tracks of your life, no matter where they led.

He waited and waited and waited. It felt like forever, even though he knew that that wasn't a thing. Everything ended eventually. It was just a matter of time.

Which was partly why Jaime waited for so long. Bart would come around eventually, right? No, scratch that! It wasn't even a question. Bart would come around. Jaime knew it.

And, in the end, he was right. Bart did come around.

Just, not everything went the way Jaime had expected it to…


"So, you persist that you have no favourite season, but talk about the snow as though it's some sort of miracle from the heavens above."

"Heaven doesn't exist. Neither do miracles."

"Quite a downer, aren't we?"

"I'd rather be a downer then pretend to be something i'm not."


"So, this is snow. If you haven't ever experienced that before…"

Jaime grinned over in Bart's direction, unable to keep the huge smile off his face. Apparently, it had been permanently plastered to his face ever since earlier on in the day when Bart had told him he wanted to go for a longer walk than usual. And, despite how stupid it may have looked, Jaime couldn't really bring himself to care.

After all, this was pretty much like a dream come true.

It was a Tuesday morning, and a gorgeous one at that. The snowflakes that fell from up above seemed to float more gracefully than they usually did. Infact, everything seemed more peaceful as well as tranquil that fine morning.

In hindsight, the reason for that was probably Bart. He seemed to have that kind of effect on everything.

Said boy snorted and rolled his green eyes in a dramatic fashion. He stuck his tongue out in Jaime's direction before crossing his arms over his chest and pouting (also quite dramatically).

"Yeah, yeah! I'm a shut in. Quit your teasing!"

Jaime couldn't help but laugh at that, because Bart was just so cute when he tried to defend himself. Or offend you. Or do both at the same time. Actually, he was just adorable in general.

The only reason for this being that he was Bart. He was, what some people called, "one-of-a-kind".

"Alright, alright! I'll stop. But, I can't help it that you're so adorable! You're like a little baby kitten!"

To which Jaime received the finger.

And proceeded to burst out laughing.

It was days like these where Jaime really appreciated people like Bart. There weren't many people like him left, but the few that were still around were absolutely incredible. Bart just seemed to have this...energy surrounding him that promised happy times and good vibes for the future. People like him were the reason that Jaime himself was still around.

There weren't that many good people left in the world. People like Bart were a reason to keep going. To keep living.

The point being, not many people could make Jaime laugh anymore. And Bart was one of those people.

So, Jaime appreciated him for that.

"So, mister "I want to go on an adventure"...where exactly are we going?" Bart questioned quizzically, his eyebrows furrowing in an inquisitive manner. Jaime, who just so happened to be leading the way, raised his finger in a show of determination, stopping for a minute to stomp one foot into the ground and narrow his eyes like a real explorer would.

"I...have no idea…"

To which Bart physically deflated.

"W-what do you mean you don't know where we're going!? You're the one who wanted to go on an adventure in the first place!" Bart exclaimed, stopping suddenly in his tracks. They were now receiving a few weird looks from passerby's. Whether it be because of their disheveled appearance or incessant yelling, Jaime had no idea.

At least they weren't ignoring them. Jaime hated when that happened.

When people pretended that they weren't there just because they had on some scruffy clothing and a cup filled with loose change in their hands. Acted as if they didn't exist because, if they didn't, then maybe the problem wouldn't either.

Homelessness. Abuse. Starvation. Suicide.

They said that ignorance was bliss. And they were right. But, those who knew fully well of the situation and simply pretended to be ignorant of their position were simply cruel. The fact that they still thought themselves entitled to walk past those in desperate need of their help and continue on happily with their perfect lives sickened Jaime.

People were dying. People were starving.

"Hey? Um, Jaime? Helooooooooo?"

And with that, Jaime was dragged out of his inner rant. Bart was looking at him with an odd expression on his face, seemingly wondering why he had suddenly become rather silent. Jaime blushed and shook his head as though to knock some sense back into it.

He really needed to stop with the inner monologues.

"Y-yeah? Sorry! Kind of...zoned out there for a little while, huh?" Jaime managed out, cursing himself for stuttering, something he also had to work on not doing. But, instead of teasing him like Jaime expected him to, Bart simply smiled and brushed it off with an indifference that Jaime could only dream of having.

"It's all good!" he proclaimed happily, eyes filled with warmth and happiness that warmed Jaime himself. He had never seen someone transmit emotions through their eyes like Bart did. The boy was incredible. He managed to find a way to surprise Jaime every day.

It was just in his nature. A very fascinating nature, at that.

"Well, it is an "adventure" after all. Aren't we not supposed to know where we're going?" Jaime decided to answer the boy's previous question with another question, raising a fine eyebrow over in his direction.

Bart stared at Jaime, mouth agape, obviously not expecting that answer, before suddenly collecting himself and letting out an exasperated huff. He then began to list all the reasons as to why Jaime was an idiot and how much better it would be if they would both return to the heating pipes right then and there. To which Jaime thoroughly disagreed and began to rebuttal each and every point that Bart brought up. This went on for a while, Bart arguing that they shouldn't be doing what they were doing and Jaime disagreeing with him each and every time.

They were doing it again.

Slipping back into that comfortable place that seemed to appear whenever Jaime hung around Bart. Falling back into that space where you didn't need to speak with words to understand somebody else. Where not every silence needed to be filled.

To anybody else, it would look as though they were just having some stupid argument. But, to Jaime, every conversation he had with Bart was cherished. Every word that fell from the boy's mouth was played on repeat in Jaime's mind over and over again.

It was as though every second he spent with Bart was the most precious thing to him.

And, Jaime didn't understand why.

"Thank you."

The sudden words surprised Jaime, and he found himself staring into Bart's olive-like eyes in a panicked sort of shock. The only thing was that Bart wasn't looking back at Jaime, but down at the asphalt below, shifting his feet almost awkwardly. To his dismay, Jaime barely found the courage to speak what he said next.

"W-why?" Jaime questioned the young boy, not breaking eye contact despite the fact that the redhead was not looking directly at him. He began to fumble nervously with the collar of his sweatshirt.

What the hell was Bart going on about now?

Jaime was surprised once more when Bart lifted his head to stare him directly in the eyes. He was smiling but his eyes told a different story. Filled with the sadness of someone who has witnessed a tragedy. Filled to the brim with tears Jaime knew would never fall.

"Thank you-" Bart began again, taking a deep breath to compose himself before continuing once more, "-for helping me."

Jaime was left in a shocked sort of silence.

Bart smiled a sad-like smile, letting out a sigh and pushing some of his bangs from his eyes.

"I was scared..." he explained as though Jaime should have known this from the beginning. As though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I-I didn't know how to deal with this. How to go out after...after-"

And then he was silent.

He didn't cry. He didn't fall to his knees. He just stared kind of sadly down at the street covered in snow below them. Jaime continued on staring in his direction in a silence that he didn't know how to break. Because, Bart had not left him with much to continue on the conversation with. All he could really do was stare at the boy like some sort of creeper would. God knows how many of those Bart had already had to deal with…

Fucking incredible job, Jaime!

"A-after what?" Jaime finally managed out, fidgeting awkwardly. His entire body felt stiff and he wanted to run away yet stay in the same place all at once. He had never been good with dealing with "feelings" or emotional things. It was part of the reason why he had been able to deal with living on the streets for so long. Sometimes, dealing with people was just too hard.

Bart looked at Jaime, his green eyes glassy with unused tears. He let out a sad laugh, grinning over in Jaime's direction while shaking his head almost in disbelief.

"No…" he mumbled, shaking his head more assertively than before, "No. Not now. Later. But, right now, I-I can't-"

His voice cracked and they fell into silence once more. Jaime swallowed stiffly. His dry throat felt kind of like sandpaper. And he could only begin to imagine how Bart was feeling…

God. Well, this turned out magnificently, didn't it?

Jaime cleared his throat, about to tell Bart that it was alright, that he didn't care whether or not Bart told him why he felt so uncomfortable, that he would wait forever for him to be ready, when he realised something.

And this particular "something" nearly scared him to death.

"MY GOD! YOUR FUCKING FEET!"

This shocked them both out of their everlasting silence, as Bart turned his attention to the guilty party that Jaime was staring at in horror. Because, it was nearly 3.2°F, everybody was bundled up in coats and hats galore, there had been nearly three blizzards in just that one week;

And Bart had no shoes on.

It was fucking winter. And the boy had no fucking shoes on.

"Wh-where the hell are your shoes!?" Jaime all but stuttered, and not because it was cold. Bart blinked almost innocently and looked down at his feet before turning back up to Jaime. He seemed completely fine with this, as his expression held no sign of shock or surprise. It was as though he had been completely unaware of it until this point.

He shrugged.

And Jaime's jaw dropped.

"What do you mean!? You don't-I...what?" Jaime was apparently too shocked to get a comprehensible sentence out of his mouth. He stared at Bart with his mouth agape for a few more seconds before it snapped shut and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He walked over to the boy and shook him harshly. Bart, he realised, was almost like a rag doll. Jaime could probably pick him up and throw his across the street if he wanted to.

He didn't. Obviously.

"Do you meant to tell me...that you've been walking out here the entire time...with no shoes?"

Now Bart's expression explained from the blank canvas it was to a guilty look as he stared down almost awkwardly at his un-shoed feet. They were extremely red, and he moved them around every now and then, sometimes even curling them so much that they turned the same white as the snow littered about the ground. Probably to deal with the pain, he realised now. He also realized that the boy was practically shivering, his entire body trembling about every five seconds.

And Jaime hadn't noticed any of this earlier…

Wow. How stupid could he possibly be?

"What?" Jaime spoke up, almost annoyed as Bart muttered something incomprehensible under his breath. He turned back to look up at Jaime, and the little bugger was smiling this big, wide grin. Jaime's eyes widened once more.

He found himself surprised every day now that Bart was in his life.

"I didn't want to make you sad!" he exclaimed cheerily, all signs that he had been sad before disappearing completely, as though they hadn't even been there to begin with, "I-I wanted to come on the adventure with you! So, even though I have no awesome shoes like you do, I did!"

Jaime stared in shock at the younger boy, words completely evading him.

Bart smiled guiltily once again, shuffling awkwardly to the left and cocking his head to the right. Some hair fell in front of his eyes making it harder to see the look of guilt in them.

"Um...surprise?"

And Jaime didn't even realize what he was doing until he was doing it. Until he was face to face between Bart. Until he was so close that he could feel the heat and see the shivers rolling off of him in the dead of winter.

Until he was staring him in those big, captivating, green eyes…

Jaime picked Bart up, and began the long trek back from whence they came.


"So, do you or do you not like the snow?"

"...I used to. Not anymore."

"And, why is that?"

"It...reminds me of someone. Someone i'd rather forget."


Bart Allen. The boy whom was what he would consider to be his "best friend". The boy he hung out with in the mornings before a long, grueling day of working hard outside in the cold temperatures of the winter. The boy who aggravated him so but always seemed to know how to make him laugh.

The boy that he didn't like.

And, he still didn't like him. Like, not not like him, like, as a friend. But, like like. He didn't like him that way.

No, he told himself, you don't like him. There was just something about this weather and the tiny snowflakes that fell onto the boys face and hair that made him look serene and beautiful. Just something about two bodies being so close together, that you can hear the others hum of a heartbeat. You can feel them move, and every little whine or breath that comes out of their mouth.

Just something about all that that made you feel closer to a person.

Bart Allen. The boy he didn't like but couldn't help but want more from. And, he honestly didn't know what that "more" was, but as the smaller one slept peacefully in his arms like an infant, he couldn't help but feel the urge to lean down and kiss him. Just once. A peck atop the head. No more, no less.

Yes, he told himself, there's just something about this weather. Something about having another so close to you. Something about Bart Allen that keeps you coming back for more. And, it doesn't exactly mean anything. It doesn't mean that you like someone. There's just...something about it.

Something about it that makes you feel all fuzzy and warm inside. Something about it that makes your stomach flip-flop every time he stirs a little in your arms, despite the fact that you're not on a rollercoaster. Something about it that makes you smile stupidly even though there's absolutely no reason for you to be smiling.

Jaime had already racked his mind about ten times, searching for any reasons as to why he could be smiling so stupidly.

He found none.

So, yeah, there was something about it. And, Jaime knew that if anyone else had been in the position that he was in then, carrying another bridal style through a storm of beauty and snowflakes, that, yeah, they would have felt the same way as well! There was just something about it, was all.

Just something about it.

Just something about everything.

Just something about Bart Allen.

And, walking home on that cold day through the swarm of fallen snowflakes and the crowds of busy and uncaring people, carrying what seemed to be all the beauty and kindness of the world in his arms, Jaime realized that, okay, yeah;

Maybe he had feelings for Bart Allen.


"Who does it remind you of?"

"..."


Jaime Reyes thought he knew everything there was to know about Bart Allen. After all, they were best friends. Why wouldn't he?

But, then he found out what Bart did for a living. And everything he thought he knew about the boy changed...

Yay! A new chapter! Been working hard on this story, but writer's block sucks.

By the way, this stories "theme song", as I like to call it, is the song "New Romantics" by Taylor Swift. So, go check that out as well.

Review please!