Trigger Warning.
It had been a long day, Barry knew not being at work for two weeks would probably do that so he wasn't surprised. Though his day got worse when officer Langton walked in.
The officer that hated metas. That hated that Barry was a meta.
"You finished with those samples yet?"
"Not yet, no," he said while still looking through the viewfinder of his microscope. "I'm working on it right now."
"Well get it done soon freak, I need that," he said loudly before leaving.
Barry one he was going to have to get used to that, he knew Langton wouldn't stop.
"He doesn't seem happy."
Barry looked up to see Oliver standing at the door frame.
"Is this just going to become a usual thing now?" Barry asked before writing down what he saw.
"For the next few days maybe," he said as he walked over and sat on Barry's desk. "Joe said you've not went on your break yet."
"You seem to be getting along with Joe recently. From what I remember he doesn't like you."
"Yeah he definitely still doesn't like me. But we have something in common, he knows I care about you and he knows you listen to me. Sometimes."
Barry looked up, he knew where this was going. "I can't go on my break just yet. I still have this to finish for Langton and then I've still got to get started on the case Joe and Eddie are on."
"Not even a coffee break," he said picking up the empty Jitters cup and throwing it into the trash can on the other side of the room.
"After I've finished this report."
"Alright. So what's up with that guy who pretty much pushed me out the way when he left here?"
"He doesn't like me. And I've not finished this for him yet."
"Why doesn't he like you?"
"'Cause..I'm a meta," he said as he walked back to his desk sitting down before he started writing.
"He knows your a meta?"
"Yeah, everyone here does. Apparently everyone has to do this meta test where they work."
"That's bullshit. It's even more bullshit that he hates you for it. I swear to god Barry, if he hurts you..."
"I'll be fine," he said while writing the past word and putting his pen down.
"Just saying."
Barry gave him a small smile as he stood up, holding Langton's file as he walked towards the doors. Oliver followed close behind.
Oliver waited at the doors while Barry walked over to his desk. Oliver watched, to make sure he didn't try anything, ready to step in if he needed to.
And Barry knew this so he spent as little time with the man as possible.
"Ah twice in two days, Mr Queen. It's good to see you again," Barry heard Singh say as he walked out his office from Langton's desk.
While Barry was explaining what he found he heard Oliver talking. Though he still felt Oliver's eyes on him. Officer Langton obviously noticed Oliver since he didn't say anything bad.
"Hey captain," Barry said with a small smile as he walked back over to Oliver.
"Allen, have a good break," Singh said as he walked back towards his office.
"What did you two talk about?"
"He was just wondering if me coming here for you was going to be a usual thing," Oliver said as the two walked into the elevator.
"What'd you say? Only when Joe tells you he's worried about me?" Barry asked as the doors opened and he walked out, walking towards the main doors.
"Can you blame him Barry? You've hidden your depression from him, your self harm. You were shot yesterday. Of course he's worried."
"You know about that?"
"Yeah, I know about it."
"I'm fine Oliver," Barry said after about a minute of silence.
"Okay."
"I know you don't believe me. But right now, I actually am."
"Well I'm glad," Oliver said as he walked into Jitters, holding the door open for Barry.
The two got their coffees and walked back to the station. As much as Oliver tried to get a Barry to stay and relax a little before going back.
The walk back was quiet, the two didn't say too much just enjoyed each other's company. Oliver followed Barry back to his lab, saying hello back to the officers who said it first.
"So Joe said there...were more scars than last time he saw," Oliver said quietly as he sat down by the windows.
"What do you mean?" Barry asked looking panicked as he put his coffee cup on his desk.
"That's why Joe wanted me to talk to you. He thinks your..hurting yourself again."
"Does it really matter?"
"Yes, Barry. It does, y..."
"Allen," Singh said loudly while walking in the room. "You need to come with me."
"What did you do?" Oliver mouthed to Barry, making sure the captain didn't see.
"I'll see you in a minute," Barry said while shrugging.
Barry followed David through the police station and into his office. He sat down while Singh closed the door. He sat down across from Barry before saying anything.
"Leonard Snart broke out of prison last night, I got sent over a list of his visitors. Only two people ever saw him. His sister..and you. You actually saw him more than his sister."
"I didn't know I wasn't allo..."
"Your not in trouble. I just need to know, do you know where he would go?"
"I don't know. We didn't talk about that kind of stuff I guess."
"What..what's the relationship between you two?"
Barry paused for a minute. What is the relationship between us? He never knew. He never asked. Never wondered.
"We're just friends."
"Just friends?" Singh repeated, obviously not believing him. "Look Barry I need to know is was there or will there ever be a time where you think of him as more than a friend?"
"I..don't know," he said quietly.
Shit, do I like him?
"Okay. Well I'm going to have to take you off this case, I'm sorry."
"It's alright. I get it."
Barry watched as he wrote something down in the file with Leonard's name on it.
"So, Oliver Queen? That gonna be a usual thing now?"
"He goes back to star city in a couple days so probably just until then."
"He seems very protective of you."
"What do you mean?" He asked with a small confused smile.
"When you were talking to Officer Langton, he was watching him, he looked ready to jump in if anything happened. If he said something. I can see that he's a good friend."
"Yeah. He is."
Barry's day at work went mostly the same as the start. Oliver only stayed for about an hour, telling to message him if he needed anything.
He was currently sitting in the cortex next to Cisco, talking about the movie marathon he was currently in the middle of. Waiting for something to happen. Something for the flash.
They were also tracking Captain Cold's gun temperature.
Which started beeping. Telling them that he was close. Barry sped to his suit, not slowing down between changing and heading towards Leonard.
Which didn't take long, he turned his coms off before walking into the abandoned building. He walked around trying to find him.
"Hello Barry," he head a voice behind him say.
"Snart," he said while turning around. "You wanted me to find you, you knew we were tracking you."
"Maybe."
Barry saw the small smile on his face after he took his the flash cowl off.
"It's good to see you without glass in between us," he said not dropping his smile as he walked towards him.
"Yeah it is," he said returning the smile.
"So I'm guessing your looking for me, as Barry not the flash?"
"I'm not. We're...friends..so I was taken off the case."
"You hesitated.."
Shit.
"Before you said friend," he finished with a smile.
"Yeah I uhh...I don't know why."
"It's o..kay.." Snart stopped after hearing the sirens getting closer and closer to where they were.
"We've gotta go," Barry said as he put the cowl back over his face and took Snart's hand.
"You can't," he said pulling his hand away. "If the flash is seen helping me, you'll be a criminal too. I can't let you do that."
"I'll see you soon."
"You will. But something to remember me by."
Barry wasn't expecting what happened next. Leonard put his hands each side of his face before pulling him closer. He pressed his lips to Barry's. He pulled away and left through the back door.
The kiss was short, it made Barry want to chase after him. Ask for another. He heard a car start up and drive away.
He knew that was Snart.
He felt a pain in his chest when the sound of the car got quieter. Though the sound of the sirens got louder. Until he saw the flashing lights.
"Flash? Everything alright?" He heard Joe ask as officers filled the building.
"I'm fine," he said, with no emotion in his voice as he turned to face Joe. "He's not here."
After that he flashed away, towards star labs. He knew Cisco had to be the one who told them. He flashed into the cortex and changed back into normal clothes before slowing down.
"You really don't trust me to handle it?" Barry shouted, not really caring that Wells was also in the room now.
"You let him get away Barry," Cisco said calmly, though Cisco didn't notice Barry noticed the look Wells gave him.
"Why'd you look at him like that?"
"I was the one who called. You shouldn't be out there," Wells told him, also not getting angry.
"Why not?"
"Your mind is clouded, it's why you couldn't save that man last month. It's why you let Snart get away today."
"Dude," Cisco said quietly to Wells.
"You saying it's my fault he died?" Barry asked a little louder than Cisco, his anger slowly turning back to sadness.
"No he's.."
"Yes I am," Wells interrupted Cisco as Caitlin showed up at the door frame, from the room next to them, wondering what was going on.
"Dr Wells you can't blame Barry for that," she said as Barry felt that numb feeling from when Snart drive away return.
"I'm tired. I'm gonna head home."
"Barry I don't think..." Barry cut her off by flashing away.
He just ran around for a while, he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to be at star labs, at home. Or at Joe's or Iris and Eddie's. He didn't want to be anywhere.
He stopped on the building he was standing on not too long ago. The one he was on trying to help the man who was going to jump.
He didn't know why he went there. He didn't want to die.
Do I?
He didn't know.
He stood up onto the ledge, he felt his heart beat a little faster as he looked down. He hadn't realised how high up he was last time.
He took a deep breath.
Is this really what I want?