bruno14: And from now on it will proceed more peacefully. I need some rest from all the drama :D. Hope you don't mind. And yeah, the guide in Oliver's dream is a blessing, without him it would take more time for Oliver to realize what he should do… Who wouldn't do that? I mean when even more teasing from Barry's side is being offered then everyone should immediately take it! XD Speaking of teasing, it's coming in this chapter so enjoy ;).
I can't seem to stop myself. Writing this story is like a drug for me and even when I'm not writing it, I can't stop thinking about it. Is it okay or am I already a lost cause? XD And also I think I should mention the actual age of Oliver and Barry. I should have done this at the beginning but in that time I had no idea how I wanted this story to go. And now I think it's time, so they are both younger and the difference between them is really small. Oliver is right now 26 and Barry is 24. I hope that's okay, so enjoy.
And the smiles and calm feeling stayed within them the whole way to STAR Labs. And silence wasn't a burden either. Both Felicity and Barry were natural talkers and sometimes it was impossible for them to shut up. Yet Oliver didn't find this as a problem at all. Normally after some time he would start to be annoyed and tired but right now, he didn't mind. Listening to their joyful voices, seeing their happy faces couldn't keep him cold for long. It was already a lost cause right at the beginning. However, there were moments when Barry tried to make him talk more. In that case Oliver complied although not very willingly. And every time he felt like it, some part of his brain, which was hardly under his command, took over and cast a smile across his face just for the brunet. Although Barry didn't seem to notice, Felicity was more observant and this got her attention. The times she'd seen her best friend smiling like this could be counted by one hand. And even though she wasn't willing to admit it, he'd never looked at her this way. Not even once. Not that she wanted him to, it was just…. now she was just confused. Even after all this time there was always something she wouldn't know about her best friend. It was a part of his nature, which was impossible for her to change. But this was different. This got her attention and her mind wasn't willing to let go of that so easily.
Since the beginning of world Oliver had been always the first person who got to work. No exceptions, this fact was strictly carved in stone. So you can imagine how everyone was surprised to see that the blond had broken his ritual. And the one who was most stunned by it was Harry, who had returned to town just yesterday. Although when Cisco and Caitlin told him about the previous day, his joy and relief of arrival quickly disappeared. There was no way Oliver would take a break from being a dick, wasn't there?
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Harry sighed.
"I wish, but nope," Cisco replied.
"I just can't seem to figure this out. I am capable of solving every scientific problem with given time, but after 15 years he is the only thing on earth I can't seem to understand no matter how hard I try," Harry said with a sad voice.
"You're saying it like it's easy to understand him," Cisco scoffed.
"It's not, but of all people I should be the one closest to accomplishing it," Harry sadly murmured and before Cisco or Caitlin could say something to that Oliver, Felicity and Barry entered the lab. And they were all… smiling?
"Oh god, I think I'm hallucinating," Harry murmured, stunned by the sight before him.
"We must be. There is no way this is happening right now," Cisco nodded, lifting his brows. As soon as Felicity spotted Wells she ran towards him to hug him, which he willingly accepted.
"It's so good to finally see you, Doctor Wells. I'm glad you're back," she smiled warmly at him. Since she and Oliver had started to be friends, her relationship with Harry improved greatly and sometimes Harry felt like she was the daughter he never had.
"I guess you're the only one," he replied releasing her from the hug and then laying eyes on his foster son.
"I heard you've been busy," he crossed arms over his chest and lifted one of his eyebrows, looking directedly at Oliver.
"Oh, you know me. Can't simply let you take a break," Oliver smirked.
"So I assume everything is okay now?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, I suppose it is," Oliver replied with a smile giving a slight look at Barry who returned it kindly. At the sight of that, Cisco frowned and returned to work, trying so hard to ignore people around him.
Harry on the other hand couldn't help but stare at the two boys and he was totally stunned by the sight in front of him. Did Oliver actually smile at Barry who returned it? I must be hallucinating for sure, he thought.
"How much exactly did I miss?" he asked confused.
"Quite a lot, but don't worry, I'll tell you everything," Felicity smiled and led him to the next part of the lab, leaving the rest of her team alone. After that Oliver's face immediately hardened, leaving no trace he had been smiling before. He had been aware he was supposed to say something to Cisco but only now it really hit him. Only now he realized how hard that actually might be.
He looked up to see the long-haired brunet. There was no way he was still mad at him, he'd already forgotten that the best way he could, but still his mouth was dry for words.
Cisco was trying to occupy himself just to not look at Oliver at any cost. Caitlin also tried to concentrate on anything else, but a huge part of her was not able to do that. Her curiousness was stronger and the need to hear what Oliver had to say started to easily rule her brain.
The blond looked at Barry in quick motion, searching for some sort of proof he didn't have to apologize for anything. But instead of that, Barry smirked at him giving him a supporting look soon after that. And although that literally did nothing to help Oliver, it still raised his determination in small measures.
"Hey, Software, how is it going?" Oliver spoke up with a little smirk. Most of the time Oliver called the brunet by his real name, but occasionally he used the nickname he had gotten for him. Of course Cisco didn't like that at all, which was only another reason for Oliver to stick up to that.
"Could be worse, I guess, but now that you're here, I'm not so sure," Cisco replied still focusing on his job. Oliver tried to observe what was happening under his magical hands and he noticed the brunet was trying to fix that robotic eye, which he'd broken the previous day. After that he deeply sighed and looked at Barry annoyed.
Do I really need to do this?, he asked without forming any words. And surprisingly the brunet seemed to understand him, considering he smirked at him playfully. I'm afraid so, Barry replied him the same way and Oliver frowned at him.
"Look, Cisco, I want to apologize for the way I acted yesterday. Even though you screwed up it wasn't right from me to just burst out on you. I would snap sooner or later, but I'm sorry you were the one who took most of it," Oliver said, keeping his eyes on Cisco, so he didn't notice how Barry was warmly smiling at him with a feeling of pride. Cisco turned around to see the tall blond, now fully facing him.
"Are you serious? You… you, Oliver Queen, are apologizing to me? This must be a special day," Cisco smirked.
"Don't get used to it," Oliver snorted.
"I wouldn't dare. Otherwise it wouldn't feel so damn good the next time you would apologize to me."
"There will be no next time," Oliver strictly stated.
"Uh, sorry to break it for you, man, but have you actually met yourself? With your grumpiness and stubbornness that is very hard to keep."
"It would be easier if you just weren't so annoying," Oliver frowned.
"And just like that the magic is gone," Cisco replied snapping his fingers. But it still counts as an apology nevertheless, he thought. "But still I should apologize too for ruining that eye. It wasn't on purpose, but I fixed it, Oliver, for you. To show how much I love you," Cisco claimed with a sarcastic smile. Oliver frowned and made a step forward to say something to the brunet before him, but his piercing blue eyes caught how Barry was looking at him. Don't, Barry's eyes pleaded. And although Oliver's annoyance was still increasing he complied and relaxed, taking the robotic eye from Cisco's grip gently.
"Thank you," Oliver murmured and without saying anything else he headed towards his place.
"No problem!" Cisco shouted after him, turning his gaze towards Barry, with non-believing facial features.
"Whoa, you've got him more wrapped around your finger than Felicity. She never managed to get him to apologize to me. How did you accomplish that?"
"Cisco, that's ridiculous. Oliver understood he was wrong and apologized for that. Barry had nothing to do with it," Caitlin stated, joining the conversation.
"Were you even listening to the same words I was?" Cisco asked, shooting her an unimpressed look.
"Caitlin is right, Cisco, I didn't say anything to him. In fact we made a peace only a while ago," Barry nodded.
"Right. So now you're friends?" Cisco asked cocking his head.
"I guess so," Barry smiled sincerely.
"I wish I would've wagered with Felicity before," Cisco sadly pointed out. "But still enjoy it, while it lasts because it won't take long for Oliver to return to his dick-ways. I doubt that thanks to your friendship his insomnia will stop."
"I agree. Felicity have tried so many times to make his nightmares disappear and nothing helped," Caitlin nodded.
"Guys, that is ridiculous. The nightmares are just a mental problem and they can be easily solved," Barry protested.
"If you think so, Barry, but be careful. It's a touchy subject," Cisco pointed out.
"And what isn't in his case?" Barry murmured and went after Oliver, who was already working, not wasting any time. Barry refused to think about Cisco's words, when he glanced over the lab to see a chessboard in the corner of the room. That caused him to remember Wells's words and with that it didn't took long until an idea popped up in his head.
"Rumor has it you're unbeatable in chess," Barry spoke up.
"Rumor means Harry told you?" Oliver replied, refusing to give any attention to the brunet and just continuing his work.
"No, others have mentioned it too," Barry snorted. "But the question is – is it true?" Barry smirked playfully.
"Why are you asking?"
"Just want to know what I'm getting myself into. Care to join me for a game?"
"Nope," Oliver replied without hesitation.
"Come on, Oliver. Just one game."
"And then a next one and a next one. Don't try to play with me, Barry, it won't work, because I know exactly what you are trying to achieve with this. We have serious job to do and we can't waste our time with stupidities like this," the blond argued stopping himself from working, looking up to see the brunet.
"Or maybe you're just too afraid to face me," Barry smirked wickedly. Oliver's lips quirked, he immediately shook off any thought about the project and came closer to the brunet now fully facing him.
"Are you seriously trying to provoke me?" he asked, crossing arms over his chest and cocking his head to one side.
"Not at all. I'm just stating what's obvious. You apparently don't have the guts, because you're afraid I might beat you, which is quite understandable. You've never played with me and you don't know how good or bad I am. Are you willing to risk it, Mr. Queen, or are you just a coward?"
"You're gonna regret this," Oliver clenched his teeth after a short moment of silence.
"That's a yes?"
"That's an I'm gonna kick your ass in this game," Oliver clarified confidently.
"Oh yeah? Just after I kick yours," Barry smirked and headed towards the battlefield with Oliver following. At first yes, he wanted to play chess just to distract the blond from work, but he'd never been bad at this game. He was one of the best in fact and only a few people had managed to beat him. That competitive spirit stayed within him and right now he wanted to beat Oliver more than anything. To show that stubborn ass what mighty Barry Allen was capable of. There was no way Oliver was that good in this game.
And this self-confidence followed him. Even halfway through the game he was still sure that he was going to win. Although he tried to keep his poker face whenever he made a good move, Oliver's poker face was unbeatable. But still after some time Barry found the whole game so easy that he started to suspect the blond of going easy on him. However, before he could mention it, the blond made a move like he could see into Barry's mind. Now was the perfect time for Barry to start sweating.
After this turn the possibility of him winning was not so certain anymore.
"Is there something wrong?" Oliver asked with a smirk forming on his face, when he noticed Barry's nervousness.
"There is nothing wrong. Why are you asking?"
"No reason, just, you seem to be a little off the edge."
"You're hallucinating," Barry snorted.
"You can still back down, you know? I won't tell anyone." You certainly will if I do that, Barry snorted.
"Who do you think I am, Oliver? Always telling me that it's okay to back down. Screw you. I didn't back down when it came to living with you, so why the hell would I back down now?" Oliver tried so hard to hold back his chuckle because it was actually quite adorable to see the brunet like this, so angry and nervous over a stupid game. He had an opportunity to see him from different point of view, the one Barry didn't like to show to anyone and that brought a huge joy into Oliver's heart.
"Because you're gonna lose. It is inevitable now. And you feel awkward for speaking so confidently before. How are you gonna feel when I remind you that moment will stay in my mind for the rest of my life, which means I can remind you of it whenever I want?" Oliver smirked wickedly. Barry's cheeks immediately reddened at the realization, his hands began to tremble and sweating even increased. He could swear he'd never felt such a strong heat spreading through his entire body. Screw your eidetic memory, Oliver!
"You're just trying to distract me so I would for sure lose!" Barry burst out frustrated with still blushing cheeks, like he was on fire.
"You're so cruel for accusing me of a crime I would never commit," Oliver protested faking an offended voice.
"Shut up," Barry simply replied and after that Oliver's mouth stopped talking and just broke into a wide smile of amusement, which unfortunately the brunet couldn't see, because he was now fully facing the chessboard, not letting anything distract him.
It didn't take long after that until the game was finished. By that time Oliver was smiling with amusement written all over his face at the frustrated brunet before him.
"Well, look at that. It seems I beat you. Checkmate," Oliver smirked wickedly and Barry just glared at him.
"Don't take it so seriously. No one has managed to beat me in chess before. The fact you lost doesn't mean you're a bad player."
"Does that mean it was difficult for you to beat me?" Barry asked with a devilish smirk, collecting his self-confidence back.
"I didn't say that," Oliver answered promptly.
"But you think so, right?"
"I played one game with you as you asked. Now it's time to go back to work," Oliver replied, dodging the question and breaking the eye contact with the brunet. After that he stood up and walked away from him.
"Next time I'll beat you," Barry claimed.
"There will be no next time," Oliver finished. Oh, sure there will be a next time. I won't let this slide just like that, Barry thought. However after that neither of them said anything more on this subject and they returned to their duty. Yet neither of their heads were completely focused on reality. Barry was wondering whether Oliver would once again stay here for the whole night and if so, he thought about finding a way how to prevent that.
Oliver on the other hand was dealing with his confusion, or trying to deal with it was a better expression. And every time Barry crossed by, his whole system reacted so strangely that the whole confusion only increased. Avoiding him would be an easy option, but he'd already promised he would stop with that and he intended to keep that promise no matter how hard it was.
The whole day flew by quicker than Barry would like to admit and now they were once again closer to finishing their project. However, there was till so much to do and because of that it was no surprise the stubborn ass wanted to stay in STAR Labs to continue their work. Yet Barry was not willing to leave it like that.
"So is Victor Frankenstein going to once again stay here or did you talk him out of it?" Cisco asked when he was already packing his stuff.
"Not yet, but I will. He saw what the lack of sleep does to him. If he protests, who is the one being stupid then?"
"Still you," Cisco promptly replied.
"Thanks, really," Barry scoffed, annoyed.
"Look, man, everyone has already given up on that. Even Felicity has stopped trying already. Doctor Wells doesn't give a damn so why are you so eagerly pushing into this?" Yes, Barry, why can't you just let go of that? Most people would already do it, but no you. You just keep pushing and digging. Why? Barry wondered.
"Because all my life I wanted to help people who needed it. And Oliver is clearly one of them. What kind of a friend would I be if I turned my back on him?" Barry explained.
"Do what you think is best, Barry, just be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Barry replied and made his way to Oliver's place.
"Hey," he spoke up as soon as his eyes landed on the concentrated blond. However, concentration or not, something was telling him that the blond was fully paying attention to what he had to say even though Oliver didn't say anything in return. But honestly that didn't help him to regain his clear mind, because he still had no idea what he should say to make the blond come with him instead of staying there. When the silence happened to be really awkward he used the most ridiculous excuse which popped up in his head.
"I forgot my keys," he spoke up sheepishly.
"You're lying," Oliver promptly replied not even looking up to see the brunet.
"No, I'm being serious. I guess, my mind was lost in clouds this morning. It won't happen again, I promise. My head was just not on right place," Barry replied with all sincerity he could find within himself, but the blond still didn't look satisfied, considering the unimpressed look, which decorated his face. Oliver could throw the man his own keys, simple as that, but he was not stupid. The idea of Barry trying to stop him from staying in STAR Labs had crossed his mind even before it'd crossed Barry's. He just didn't think it could be so lame. However, instead of being annoyed by the thought, he smiled with amusement on the ground so the brunet wouldn't see it. And after he managed to regain his previous state, he looked up, giving Barry yet another unimpressed look.
"You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Barry?" Oliver spoke up as he came closer to face the brunet.
"Never," Barry replied without hesitation.
"Even if it could help me?" Oliver made yet another step forward, now standing dangerously too close, or so Barry thought. If the man tried to make yet another step forward, Barry would be forced to back down. The brunet refused to look anywhere else than into those piercing blue eyes. There was something about them, which Barry couldn't quite comprehend. Every time he happened to look directedly into the blond's eyes, he found it hard to stop, like they weren't willing to let him look anywhere else.
Oliver's face was deadly serious, but Barry could easily see the amusement in his eyes, which would soon lead into a devilish smirk if Oliver let it. That was everything Barry needed to know that this situation was not going to work out fine for him. However, he refused to give Oliver the satisfaction and looked at the blond with a determined look, trying so hard to ignore the fact they were so close to each other, but failing miserably.
"Would you lie to me if you meant to help me?" Barry shot back. However Oliver didn't even blink at the question and came with an answer only a few seconds later.
"Of course not. Why would I ever want to help you?" Oliver scoffed.
"Now who's lying?" Barry smirked. The blond fought so hard to keep his straight face and not break right there. There was no way he would give Barry that satisfaction. The brunet wanted to smile triumphantly, but was stopped as soon as one of Oliver's hands made its way into one of his pockets on his jeans. He flinched slightly at the contact but didn't jerk away as Oliver's hand slipped inside. Although how such a huge hand was able to slip inside his pocket was beyond his understanding.
"At least now you know how it feels, when someone's lying to you. Sucks, doesn't it?" Oliver said as his hand left Barry's pocket, holding its bounty. He handed him the keys with the smirk he was so desperate to show. After that he walked away from him once again returning to work, while Barry was trying to do everything in his power to regain his natural color and get rid of the redundant heat in his cheeks. And even when he succeeded the thought of that slight touch stayed in his mind for a long time after that.
"Okay, but we still should head home. Nobody is here but us," Barry stated seriously.
"So go. I don't hold you here as a captive," Oliver replied without turning to face him.
"Yeah, you see that's the thing. I want you to come with me," Barry said firmly.
"I'll catch up with you later."
"Don't lie to me, Oliver, I know you plan on staying here once again the whole night," Barry said and came closer to the blond who finally looked up to face him.
"What do you want from me, Barry?" Oliver asked sighing deeply to prevent himself from showing any emotion.
"I just want to prevent you from hurting yourself," Barry stated with a clear fear in his hazel green eyes, which didn't escape Oliver's attention.
"I won't, I promise. I just need to finish a few things first," Oliver explained sincerely. Barry locked his eyes with him and observed every detail which could help him to decide whether to believe the man in front of him or not. But Oliver was a good liar and hiding his true intentions was like a piece of cake. This fact made Barry sad, because he just wished there wouldn't be any reason for Oliver to hold back in front of him, he just wished the blond would fully trust him. Yet trust had to be mutual and it also had to start somewhere, so maybe a move forward would be the best way how to start.
"Okay, if that is the case, then I'll stay here with you," Barry firmly claimed.
"What?" Oliver asked, stunned by the answer, because in no way he'd been expecting this would happen. No one had ever offered something like this and the fact Barry was the only one was even a bigger mystery. This brunet was still full of surprises.
"You said you needed to finish a few things and that's why you refuse to go home now, isn't it? So I offer you a deal – I stay here and help you finish anything you need and when we are done, we will go home together. What do you say?" Barry asked and lifted his right hand for Oliver to shake. The blond observed him thoroughly, trying to find any hint that Barry was lying to him but he couldn't find anything. The way the brunet spoke, it looked almost like he wasn't capable of lying at all. Oliver knew very well that the man in front of him was damaged the same way he was, but unlike him Barry was hiding it every day, acting like everything was okay. And that was still yet for Oliver to comprehend, but right now it seemed impossible to do so. Barry had been finding out more information about Oliver day by day, while Oliver had done no progress in getting answers on his questions. He wanted to know so many things but Barry refused to accept himself as a main subject of conversations. Oliver didn't want to push him but sometimes he felt like his curiousness was taking over his mind.
But that was not this case. Now only thing that mattered was the fact there was no dark intentions behind Barry's beautiful eyes, they were completely pure the same way as Barry himself. And that was yet another incomprehensible thing about Barry. How was he doing that? He managed to convince Oliver that he was a better person, which was an honorable success really. And when Oliver remembered how he'd acted when they'd first met, he started to blush of embarrassment. Not a best way of making impression, but at least now we are here, he thought and shook off any other thoughts on this matter, because the silence between them was starting to be really awkward and poor Barry still waited for Oliver to shake their hands.
"Okay, deal," Oliver firmly exclaimed.
"Really? Just like that?" Barry wondered.
"Yes, just like that," Oliver smiled weakly and shook his hand with the brunet, refusing to flinch even considering how sweaty Barry's hand felt. However, Barry noticed that nevertheless, which once again turn on his blushing on high level.
"Uh, sorry, my hands get sweaty," Barry pulled away his hand and rubbed it against his jeans hopelessly, looking at the ground with reddened cheeks, refusing to look up at the blond. Oliver just smiled at him without the brunet knowing and looked at his own arm, thinking about the touch contact. And after that he decided he would keep this memory on an easy place to reach in his measureless mind and cherish it for the rest of eternity, because a thought of this would never fail to make him smile.
"Come on, we have a job to do," Oliver said and headed towards his unfinished work. Barry quickly nodded with a small smile and followed him without any further words, just glad they were getting along so well finally.
Spending the entire evening with Barry was not as bad as Oliver had thought. It was… quite bearable and maybe even fun, but most importantly he wanted to do this again, as soon as possible. Because with Barry it wasn't just about the job, there were also smiles, jokes, laughs and teasing which led to both of them not being able to fully concentrate on work, but neither of them minded.
And Oliver kept his end of the bargain and when they managed to finish everything he wanted they headed home and even then Oliver didn't stop feeling good and the same could be said about Barry.
However all their talking and ridiculous bickering stopped as soon as both of them entered their rooms. There, Oliver once again felt alone and insecure. The fear of the nightmares which had been hunting him almost every night was immediately back, trying to take over his brain. He took a few breathes to stabilize himself and put his mind at ease, but he still didn't feel any different. Yet he knew he'd promised he would at least try, for Barry and for his own sake. So he closed his tired eyes thinking about that evening, which cast a smile across his face as he fell asleep and soon after that entered the world of dreams.
His most dreadful fears happened and he woke up, barely being able to catch his breath, reimagining his nightmares every time he closed his eyes, making all the horror countless times worse. He gave it a few tries, once again closing his eyes, calming his mind, but everything seemed pointless. The vivid images were still fresh within his mind appearing every time and he was not capable of experiencing it again anymore. He could not stay there after this. So he quickly put some clothes on and headed towards the door when suddenly he spotted Barry standing in the doorway. It was dark but Oliver could clearly see Barry's questioning gaze, he was just unsure what to say to the brunet. Thankfully, Barry made the first step.
"Going somewhere?" he asked forming a slight smirk, but the blond saw the seriousness in his hazel green eyes. This was no fun for Barry, this was serious and although Oliver appreciated it, he refused to talk to the brunet.
"I just need some air," Oliver murmured.
"Full of chemical gases?" Barry teased, but Oliver didn't look amused at all by that. Yet Barry didn't want to give up on his idea to make the other man smile. For him it seemed like one of the best ways to put his mind at ease and to make him forget the horrific nightmares. However, now when it clearly didn't work out for him as he wanted, he was ready to change his strategy.
"Leave me alone, Barry," Oliver replied coldly, keeping his heightened emotions at bay. Barry's face immediately softened at that, hearing the broken voice even though the blond was trying so hard to hide it. After this much time Barry had started to be capable of detecting Oliver's hidden emotions. He was still a beginner, but he had been getting better day by day for sure.
"Ollie, you clearly need someone right now and what kind of a friend would I be if I refused to help you at need?" Barry asked. Was it wrong to call them friends? Sure he had called them friends during his conversation with Cisco and Caitlin, but admitting it in front of Oliver after all felt different. But what other word was even there to use really? They were roommates, spending time together, making fun of each other. Definitely friends, right?
Although Barry was arguing with his inner thoughts, Oliver on the other hand still suffered from the vivid images of the nightmares in his head. And the fact, they were standing there in dark didn't make it easier either. Only after he managed to push them away, he realized what Barry had said.
"That kind of a friend who lets me make my own choices even though I'm wrong," Oliver replied, causing Barry to sigh secretly with relief at the fact Oliver didn't deny they were friends. And not only that. He even confirmed it. So their friendly status was official. That was a good sign, wasn't it?
"If I let you make the same wrong decisions all over again, I suck as a friend," he shot back.
"I don't need your help."
"Oh really? Let's see. I heard you screaming in your sleep, I can see the horror in your eyes and your voice never sounded more broken. You are seeing those nightmares right now, aren't you? Every time you close your eyes, you see them as if they were happening right in front of you, experiencing the pain and horror all over again," Barry said softly keeping his eyes on the blond, who refused to return the gesture. That was an answer which Barry needed to know that he was right.
"I know exactly how you feel, Ollie, and I understand why you're trying to push me away because I was the same, dreaming horrible nightmares every night. Like you I denied every help, which was offered. So I know perfectly you pushing it away won't make anything better, it won't ease the pain. I can help you, Ollie, but you've gotta trust me." Now even Barry's heart was beating quickly, because of the worries, that maybe he was taking it all too far too quickly. Although Oliver didn't deny they were friends, trust was a completely different thing and Barry was not sure whether that word even existed in Oliver's dictionary. And if so, did Oliver consider him as someone he could fully trust? They barely knew each other so well, but even so Barry felt like he could trust Oliver. He felt like some little part of him was guiding him through the world telling him who is worthy of his trust. And this part of him was never more confident about being right. This part of him was doing everything in its power to make him trust the blond, because for some reason he believed there was no way Oliver would ever betray him in any way. He of all people was the last person who would ever do that. And for some reason he felt more confident this was true than when it came to Joe or Iris. Which was ridiculous because he'd known them his whole life. Comparing to them Oliver was a stranger, a mean stranger at first in fact. But still Barry wanted to trust him fully without any hesitation or obstacles holding him back and sometimes he felt like he already did. Although it probably must have happened a long time ago without him noticing. But did Oliver trust him?
The blond was not sure. He liked Barry, he no longer held any grudge towards the brunet, but the trust was more complicated matter. It took time and effort for him to fully trust anyone in his life. But Barry was different. He'd been moving forward quickly as a speeding bullet, getting himself to places to earn Oliver's trust much faster than anyone else. And Oliver was not sure whether Barry had already earned his trust or would betray him at the first chance he got.
However, now Oliver felt horrible and he needed someone, he needed Barry and if the brunet could really help him, then he was willing to take this risk.
"Okay," he half-whispered softly. Barry gave him an encouraging smile and entered Oliver's bedroom.
"Take off your clothes," Barry commanded. Oliver lifted one of his eyebrows which transformed into a slight smirk. That caused Barry to blush awkwardly as soon as he realized what he'd just said.
"I mean not all of them! Just… as many as you need," Barry nervously stuttered. Oh god, that sounded even worse, the brunet thought to himself. He turned around to hide his blushing cheeks while Oliver take off some of his clothes. When Barry managed to regain his natural color, he turned around once again to see the blond already lying in his bed. No matter what he did, the brunet couldn't stop shivering nervously, his hands were sweating but still cold to touch. He couldn't understand why this was happening to him. He'd already done this with Iris countless times, anytime one of them had nightmares. So why was he so nervous now? He was doing this for a friend which meant there was no reason for him to feel weird about it, but he still did. So he tried to fully concentrate on the reason why he was even doing this and pushed his nervous feelings to the back part of his brain.
Now it was Oliver's turn to be nervous and confused as soon as he spotted the brunet lying down on the bed beside him. Luckily for him, the darkness in the room could cover his blushing cheeks perfectly.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked calmly with a vivid confusion in his voice. Barry looked at him once he positioned himself and slipped under the duvet.
"I thought you trusted me," he smirked, not realizing Oliver could barely see it.
"Do I have a choice?"
"No, not anymore. Now when I'm already here it would be awkward to just end it without actually helping you. But no pressure, Iris and I do this all the time."
"Is that the reason why you're so nervous?" Oliver asked, cocking his head to one side.
"Pff no, I'm not nervous. Why would you think that?"
"Darkness cannot hide everything, Barry Allen," Oliver smiled.
"You're hallucinating, Mr. Queen," Barry snorted.
"Then I guess you should start with the helping part."
"But I already did. I'm helping you right now by staying here with you and talking with you so you wouldn't feel alone and so that you wouldn't think about the nightmares." Oliver stayed silent for a second, stunned, thinking about Barry's words. Could it really be that simple?
"That's all the magic?" he asked, confused.
"Every magic trick is lame when you find out how it works," Barry pointed out and smiled. Oliver smiled too, but shook it off almost seconds later.
"Still you can't talk to me all night. You said it yourself, I need sleep."
"And you'll get it."
"Not if nightmares keep coming back every time I close my eyes."
"True, but what if they don't come back?"
"And how would you manage that?" Oliver asked, shooting him an unimpressed look.
"By staying here with you the whole night," Barry grinned.
"That's ridiculous," Oliver replied horrified by the idea.
"I asked you to trust me on this so trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about. I will keep my distance, I swear. And if my presence don't make the nightmares disappear, I will never try again, okay? I will let you be, I promise," Barry said sadly, wishing he could lie, but he couldn't lie to Oliver, not about his. However, he prayed that he was capable of helping him, because he didn't want to stop trying. He could see all his effort was worthwhile and he enjoyed every minute of the result. Seeing Oliver happy with a smile on his face was the most satisfying reward he'd ever gotten and it was hard for him to let go of that, but if Oliver really wished it so hard, then he could not prevail for long.
Oliver could see how Barry meant every word he said. There was no doubt or lie behind it. It was all clear and sincere, which made Oliver even more sad. Barry's effort to make him smile and believe in himself was sometimes annoying but it was working. And it was for a first time after a long time someone tried to accomplish it. Barry had been helping him more than he was aware. And Oliver was not ready to let go of that. He actually enjoyed that fact and decided to cherish it instead of rejecting it.
And because of that, the blond decided to not lose that, even though Barry would fail. He was trying and that meant a mountain for Oliver. Not everyone was so unbreakable in effort to gain his trust and Oliver was so thankful that there was no way he would let it vanish.
"Okay," he replied calmly and positioned himself so he would be as far from the brunet as possible, praying that his sleeping self wouldn't break this distance between them in any way. He was still not a fan of touching and if it had ever come to that, the awkwardness would never disappear. Thankfully the bed was big enough for both of them.
"Barry?" he asked with a soft voice after a little moment of silence.
"Hm?" Barry replied escaping his thoughts. Oliver heisted for a second, which caused Barry to once again closed his eyes. However he opened them as soon as Oliver's voice made its way into his ear.
"Thank you for trying," Oliver whispered softly with gratitude in his voice. Barry smiled warmly because of the indescribable feeling spreading through his whole body. This was what Oliver was doing to him.
"You're welcome, Ollie. Good night."
"Good night," Oliver murmured him back with a smile, never disappearing even after he closed his eyes. It'd stayed there for the rest of the night.
And Barry? Barry was the same, nervousness and fear already gone without any sign it had ever been there. All that remained was calmness, happiness and feeling of safety. And when someone is falling asleep with thoughts like this, there is no way they would have nightmares.
I wish I could close the surplus distance between them, but I simply can't. Too soon for that, but we are getting there I promise. And I can't wait to see the day when that happens :). See you next chapter ;).
