A/N: Wow, guys. Thanks for the reviews and favorites and follows and everything! You guys are awesome :D
This chapter came out rather quickly. That's good for you guys, I guess ;) I just sat down to write it an hour ago.
I think the story's winding down, but we'll see how it goes. I wasn't planning on this chapter - but I say that like I actually have plans. What I should say it wasn't part of the 'vague storyline' in my head. There, that's a bit better. Anyway, so we're in uncharted territory, kind of, so there's that xD
Enjoy!
Chapter length: 2802
Onward!
CHAPTER 10 – Home
Barry leaves the next day, but his day job calls and it's time for him to return to his work as Barry Allen, CSI extraordinaire. Len kisses him goodbye and the kid disappears in a flash. One of these days it won't make his stomach clench.
While he's gone, Len stays at the safe house and thinks. If Barry's going to be staying here so much, he's going to have to change some things around the house. First of all, they're going to need a bigger refrigerator to hold all the food, and a better stove would be nice, too. A bigger bedroom so Barry can move his things in – who knows how much the kid has? They only fooled around in Joe West's house a couple of times, and Len was otherwise preoccupied; he didn't snoop.
The more he thinks about it – and the upcoming December wedding which Barry still hasn't told Iris isn't happening – the more he wants, and when he wants something, he usually gets it. Except for that one elusive thing he's wanted for a while – a normal life.
Len's a criminal, and he's very good at what he does. He loves the thrill that comes with a heist, with counting the seconds, but ever since Barry vanished into the 'time-traveling vortex of doom', none of that has really mattered. He's found something else that gives him a rush, and that's something he's secretly desired for a while now, but never thought possible.
A normal life.
With a white-picket fence and everything.
And Barry.
Barry is a very vital part of that little dream.
And while he's thinking of upgrading the safe house, he thinks about moving somewhere with Barry. And when he thinks of moving somewhere with Barry, he thinks of a white-picket fence and a house shared by Captain Cold and the Flash. He thinks of family, and safety, and home.
It's been a long time since he's thought of home.
Now he wants.
xXx
He spends the day planning. He's always been good at that.
Leonard Snart's records have been erased from the crime database thanks to Barry, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy to get anywhere with his name.
That'll have to change.
xXx
Barry calls around five in the afternoon, when he should be getting off work.
"We got a case," Barry says somewhat glumly. "I won't be back tonight. Sorry, Len."
Len sighs. "It's fine, Barry. I'm doing a little side project, anyway."
Barry's quiet for a moment. "Crime?"
"It's a surprise."
Barry laughs. "Does the Flash need to know?"
"The Flash can stay home tonight," Len tells him with a smile.
"Alright, then. Love you."
Len closes his eyes. "Love you, too, kid. Catch the bad guy."
"I'll try to. Bye, Len."
"… Bye, Barry."
xXx
Barry is only gone two nights. Well, one and a half nights.
Len wakes from his restless sleep to the bed shifting, and then there's warmth pressed against his side. He instinctively wraps an arm around the warm body, pulling it closer, his own body relaxing from a tense state he hadn't even known it was in. Barry breathes out a contented sigh and Len smiles in the darkness.
"Sorry," Barry says softly. "Joe was suffocating me. But I couldn't sleep."
"Me neither," Len says, his voice just as soft and quiet.
The two shift so they're a little more comfortable. Barry's leg slides between both of Len's, sandwiched between them. The kid likes to burrow.
"Did you catch the bad guy?" he asks, eyelids heavy.
Barry yawns, the two now sharing a pillow. "Yeah, we caught them."
"Good…" Len murmurs, eyes falling shut, sleep well on the way to claiming him.
Barry's laugh is breathy and warm. "Sleep, Len."
And he does.
xXx
Len wakes to knocking at the front door, and it seems like no one is going to answer it. Barry buries his head under his pillow, burrowing further into Len and the covers, and Len smiles even as he sighs and looks around the room. It's midday, according to the sun seeping through the windows; they've slept a long time.
The knocking continues, growing more impatient, and Len knows they won't just give up. He does wonder who is knocking, though, because no one knows where he lives except Barry, Mick and Lisa, and Lisa lives here. Mick wouldn't bother knocking.
Suddenly uneasy, he climbs out of bed, making sure Barry is still warm and safe and asleep. He slips from the room, grabbing his cold gun on his way out, clad only in gray sweatpants and no shirt. He doesn't need the outfit to be Captain Cold.
He opens the door, hiding the gun behind it momentarily, and then stares at Iris.
She looks so happy, but also irritated. "About time you answered, loverboy," she says as she sashays into the house without being invited. Len drops the gun and runs a hand across his face as he kicks the door shut.
"Yes, Iris, please come in," he says sarcastically.
"Thanks! Nice place you have here. Very secretive."
"How do you know where I live?" Len asks.
She grins. "Let's just say a golden birdie told me."
"Lisa," Len growls. He's going to kill her.
"So where's your other half?"
Len blinks. "My what?"
Iris rolls her eyes. "Barry Allen? The Flash? Your fiancé? Any of this ringing any bells?"
Fiancé. Right.
"About that…" he starts, but then she's looking at him all happily and he can't do it. A part of him doesn't want to do it. He shakes his head. "I'll wake him."
He leaves the living room and enters his bedroom. The kid is still sound asleep, sprawled across the bed like he owns the place. Len smiles, and steps toward the bed, sitting lightly on the edge. His fingers trail across the kid's back.
"Wake up, Scarlet, we've got company. Kid. Hey."
Waking Barry is never easy.
Green eyes finally blink open. "Wha…?" the kid asks, blinking up at him, snuggling his pillow a little more. The image is rather adorable.
Damn him and his Bambi-eyes.
"Company," Len repeats, smiling at him. "Iris is here."
"Iris is…?" Comprehension dawns on his face, his eyes widening. "Iris is here? How does she know…?"
"Lisa," Len says simply, and Barry groans. "And we're still engaged."
Barry swallows. "Right. Um. I'll just set her straight, then."
He sits up, stretching. Len watches him for a moment, before his mouth opens without his permission. "Don't."
Barry looks back at him so quickly he's surprised the kid doesn't have whiplash. "Don't?" he repeats. "Don't what?"
It's too late to take the word back, so Len takes in a slow breath, choosing his next words carefully. "Don't set her straight. There are worse things than being engaged to the Flash."
Barry stares at him, uncomprehending for a long time. "You…?"
"December's not such a bad month to get married, Scarlet."
The kid's mouth falls open. "Is this you proposing to me?"
"According to the others, I already have," Len says. "What do you say, kid?"
"That's a terrible proposal," Barry complains, but his face is red and he's smiling, and all Len's tense muscles relax. "But sure, Len – there are worse things than being engaged to Captain Cold."
And then the kid's in his lap, and they're kissing.
A minute later they enter the living room and Iris is tapping her foot, glaring at them, arms folded across her chest.
"What took you so long? Wait! I don't want to know, do I?"
Barry reddens, and Iris laughs.
"Barry Allen," she chides, shaking her head. "Were you in there vibrating?"
And the kid blanches, shooting Len a panicked look. "She knows?"
"Lisa has a big mouth," is all Len says on the matter.
"W-What are you doing here, Iris?" Barry asks, opting for a change of subject.
Iris giggles. "You're so easy, Barry. Anyway, I'm here so we can get celebratory drinks, silly! You've been busy the past few days so we never got the chance, but Lisa said you and Len had steaks and wine. In a romantic setting, no less."
Lisa really does have a big mouth.
"Uh, r-right," Barry says, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck.
"Dress first," Iris says.
And it's then both Barry and Len seem to realize they're both just clad in sweatpants and nothing else. Barry vanishes in a flash and reappears a moment later, dressed in a button-down red shirt and dark blue jeans. Len sighs and walks out of the room like a normal person, and reappears a few minutes later dressed in a plain gray T-shirt and blue jeans.
Iris looks them over appraisingly. "You both look good."
"Where are we going?" Barry asks.
"You'll see," is all Iris says, digging around in her purse. "Put these on when we get to the car."
Len stares at the two blindfolds. "I don't really do the whole 'blindfold' thing."
"Me neither," Barry says, though he accepts the offered blindfold. Meanwhile Len's is still being held out.
Iris looks at him expectantly. "Just trust me, you idiots."
Len sighs. She can be just as stubborn as Lisa. It's a scary thought.
He accepts the blindfold, and follows Iris and Barry out of the house.
xXx
Len's a criminal, so it would be so easy to cheat and peak through the blindfold, but he distracts himself by holding Barry's hand in the backseat. Barry makes odd little patterns across the top of Len's hand and Len attempts to guess what it is. The ride is ten minutes and a handful of seconds.
Finally, the stop.
"Keep the blindfolds on," Iris says. "I'll take Barry's hand, and you keep holding hands, and we'll all get in with no problem."
"This is stupid," Len says.
"Shut it, you," Iris says.
"Better to just do as she says," Barry points out.
Len sighs, but does just that.
He nearly trips over the kid a few times, but thankfully they remain standing all the way inside wherever it is they're going. It seems familiar, and Barry's calm, so he's not worried.
After a few minutes of walking, they come to a stop.
"Okay, blindfolds off."
Len removes his and is greeted with-
"SURPRISE!"
The main area of STAR Labs is decorated with banners and confetti and alcohol. An entire table of alcohol, and food, and cake. Definitely cake.
Lisa steps forward from the center of the group which consists of Iris, Cisco, Caitlin, Ronnie, Professor Stein, and Mick. Mick is here.
And he's smiling.
"Oh my God," Barry says breathlessly. "You guys did all of this?"
Len looks again at the banners.
'Happy Engagement', one of them reads.
'Congratulations', another says.
"Of course we did, silly," Iris says, punching Barry in the shoulder. "It's not every day the Flash gets engaged to Captain Cold."
"And I improved the formula," Caitlin says, holding out a bottle of what looks like some kind of vodka, clear liquid and all, "so you should be able to stay buzzed a little longer."
Barry laughs. "Thanks, guys. You really didn't have to do all of this."
"You're our friend," Cisco says. "It's what friends do."
"You were at my wedding," Caitlin says, holding hands with Ronnie now. "I know we didn't have a big party or anything, but you were still there, and it was all sudden. We wanted to do something for you, too."
"Eddie and I never got to have a party," Iris says quietly, and Barry turns to face her. She offers a sad smile. "But you deserve it, Bear."
The kid's hold on Len's hand tightens, and it's only then Len realizes they are indeed still holding hands. "Iris… I'm so sorry…"
"It's okay, Barry," Iris says. "You two deserve to be happy."
Barry opens his mouth to say something more, but Iris shakes her head, holding a finger up to his lips, silencing him.
"No, Barry, today is for happiness," she says simply. "Make it last, because tomorrow I'm telling Dad all about your little engagement."
Barry blanches again.
Len winces; the kid has a hell of a grip.
"Oh, God," Barry says. "He's gonna kill me."
"For not telling him? Yep," Iris says, smiling. "But he'll get over it."
"I don't know…"
"He's going to be pissed he missed the party, though," Cisco says, approaching them. "And speaking of the party, let's get it started!"
There's a cheer from everyone, and music starts playing.
Iris and Lisa wander off, talking about boys, and Lisa keeps giving Cisco little looks.
Len looks back at Barry, who has this goofy smile on his face.
"December?" he asks, mostly to clarify.
Green eyes focus on him.
"December," the kid agrees with a wide smile.
xXx
Barry doesn't get drunk, but he does get a little tipsy, for about thirty minutes.
It's amusing to see, mostly because Len's never seen him like this.
Barry is an affectionate drunk. Or tipsy person. Whatever.
He's affectionate, and he's making it increasingly hard to focus when he's hugging everyone.
Len's not a jealous person; he's a thief, but he doesn't envy what other people has. He is, however, territorial, and what's his is his.
So when Barry says he loves Cisco for being an awesome friend, and hugs him a little too long, Len is well within his rights to grab his wrist and pull him away, throwing the tech genius a quick glare. Cisco holds his hands up harmlessly, eyes wide, before Lisa laughs from behind them.
And then Cisco and Lisa are talking, and they're sitting rather close.
Len keeps an eye on them, but mostly he's focused on Barry, who can't seem to stand still.
"Need to run," the kid says, practically bouncing on his feet.
Len sighs and leads the way toward the treadmill, which is thankfully behind a door, in a separate area, so at least there's a little privacy. The music is still loud, though. Len can feel it vibrating through the floor.
"Run with me?" Barry asks.
Len blinks. "I'm not a speedster, kid."
"Oh. Right," Barry says, and then pauses. "We could run normally?"
"Can you run normally?"
The kid pouts.
"Just run, kid," Len says. "I'll watch you."
Barry nods, kisses his cheek, and then gets on the treadmill.
He walks, then jogs.
Then he becomes a blur.
xXx
The party dwindles down around eight that night. Professor Stein, Caitlin and Ronnie have already left; all that remains is Iris, Lisa, Cisco and Mick.
Barry's tired; he's practically draped over a table, sitting in a chair, half-asleep. Len is a bit drunk, but not terribly so; he would never get wasted in the presence of so many people. Lisa, on the other hand…
She's drunk, and she's all over Cisco.
Len's okay with that, surprisingly.
Cisco's a good kid.
And he's terrified of Len, so that's a plus.
Iris yawns and stretches. "Okay, I think I'm calling it a night. It's been fun." She looks at Len and Barry. "You should probably get him home."
"West will ask questions," Len says absently, looking at Barry.
Iris is quiet for a moment. "I meant your house, silly," she says, and Lisa laughs loudly from next to Cisco.
It's practically a guffaw.
"I told you they're both dense!"
"Shut it," Len says, before looking back at Iris. "Yeah, I'll take him… home."
He slips an arm around Barry's waist and lifts. Barry leans into him as they stand. "Where are we going?" the kid asks sleepily.
"Home," Len says.
" 'kay," Barry mumbles. "Sounds nice. Sleepy."
"I know you are, kid. You gotta help me walk, though."
Barry blinks at him. "Or…"
"Wait, no, Scarlet-"
Becoming a blur when one is not a speedster is very, very disorientating. It's akin to an intense state of vertigo and déjà vu. Len exhales loudly when they finally stop at the safe house. Home, he tells himself.
Barry looks sheepish. "Sorry, Len."
Len shakes his head. "It's fine, Scarlet."
" 'm tired."
He's like a little kid.
Len smiles. "I know you are, kid. Alright, bedtime."
"Come with me?" Barry asks with his big green eyes.
Len chuckles faintly. Is that really even a question?
"Always," he says.
And then they crawl into bed together, and everything is perfect.
xXx
Like all good things, it must always come to an end.
There's knocking at the door the next morning.
Len crawls out of bed, feeling dizzy with a very slight hangover, and stumbles through the living room to answer it, expecting it to be Iris.
Joe West stands there, and he doesn't look happy.
And he's got a gun.
Yeah, definitely not happy.