Just a warning, this chapter has a semi-smut scene(?) if that's what you want to call it. Nothing much happens so it shouldn't be too problematic :p Sorry that this chapter is somewhat late. I've been exhausted all day today, but I was super dedicated to get this one done! Enjoy~

Barry PoV

It's been a couple of weeks since the incident with Snart. Him and his buddies attacked me each day, progressively getting worse. I wasn't feeling up to going to school this week so I wasn't going to go. I laid in bed most of the time. Only getting up to go to the bathroom or get food and water. Over the past weeks, Snart and his pal were ruthless when I would encounter them. Let's just say by the end of it all I had a black eye, swollen lip, bruises everywhere, broken index finger, cracked ribs, and I was sure I had a sprained ankle, it hurt a bunch just to step on it. On a good note, Oliver actually gave me his number and was being super nice to me, it made me feel a lot better just seeing him, I don't know exactly why though. I believe it's just because I feel safe around him due to him saving my life. He'd been texting me all day today, but I just didn't feel up to answering any of them. I was super depressed at the moment and I didn't want to shove my problems his way. We just barely became friends, so it wouldn't be fair to him if I ran to him with all my problems. I absolutely could not talk to Felicity or Iris about this though, they're overly caring and protective of me, and they'd run straight to someone of authority and try to deal with it that way. That would not be good.

I'd called the school and told them to send me my work for the rest of the week since I was very sick and wouldn't make it to school at all. So I'd get up and do my schoolwork for the day and then head straight to bed. It was really odd though, I'd usually find myself thinking about Oliver for God knows what reason. I shook the thoughts away when I realized I was thinking about him, but they kept flooding back. It got so overwhelming that I'd gotten up to take a shower just to take my mind off... everything. I had just finished cleaning myself and stepped out of the shower when I heard the doorbell go off. I froze then got dressed, I'd just... pretend I wasn't home. I mean, I could be back in Central City visiting Iris, Eddie, and Joe. After I got dressed I went to go back to my room when the door opened and Oliver walked in with worry written all over his face.

He looked up and saw me, err... likely saw my black eye, and he ran upstairs. "What the hell Barry? Are you okay? I've been trying to get ahold of you for hours now!" I looked down in shame. "I-I'm fine, Oliver, really..." He lifted my head up and looked at me. "Barry—this? It's not okay. You're hurt." He motioned towards my black eye. "What happened, Barry?" I sighed in defeat. I'd tell him what happened—but not who did it, I don't need more mental and physical damage dealt to me, and that's surely what Snart would do if he found out I'd told someone he did it. "I'll tell you—IF you promise not to tell anyone about it." He gave me a very worried look. "Just tell me, Barry, you're my friend." For some reason him saying friend made my heart drop, and felt some emotional pain. I have no idea why that is, but... I just shrugged it off.

"The day we met, I was cornered by someone and... they beat me and called me names." At this point I could already see him fuming. "They continued to do it again and again, the beatings and insults getting progressively worse." God, if I thought he was fuming then, you should see him now. "Last Friday they strangled me, cracked my ribs, broke my index finger, sprained my ankle, gave me a black eye, and well... bruises and cuts everywhere." Dear God, it looked as if he was ready to murder whoever did this to me. "Barry, we need to get you some help, and fast." I shook my head quickly in reply. "No, no, no. I'm fine, I don't need anymore hospital bills mailed to my family back in Central. It's not fair to them. I just need a week off of school so I can heal up a bit." He nodded in reply. "Okay, that's fine, but I will check up on you daily. You got that?" I smiled softly. "Yeah, got it." He smiled back at me then it faded away. "Who did this to you, exactly?" I sighed. "I-I can't tell you, they'll probably just... do it again. And worse." His face was set in pure anger. "Barry, I wouldn't let them hurt you again." I shook my head. "That's what Iris and Eddie said to me at Central City High and... and..." Shit. I almost just told him about... my incident... If I told him that he'd likely leave in disgust. "Barry... were you bullied back in Central as well?" I was shaking just thinking about it. "Y-Yeah..." What happened next shocked me, he pulled me into a tight hug. "Oh God, Barry, I'm so sorry..." I could feel heat rushing to my cheeks and I hugged him back.

It was then I realized that I felt safe, happy, and warm around Oliver because I had feelings for him. I wasn't exactly so sure what they were yet, but I knew then that I had feelings for him. I laid my head on his chest and leaned into his embrace. I really needed this, the feeling of someone there with me when I was at my worst. I inhaled deeply before pulling away. "T-Thanks... Oliver. That means a lot." He smiled at me then spoke up. "Do you want to talk about it?" I sighed, I wasn't exactly ready to disclose what happened back in Central City. "No, not yet... I'm not ready to." He nodded his head. "Alright, that's okay. Just, whenever you're ready to tell me, or anyone, don't be afraid to, okay?" "Okay, I will." I smiled. "Alright, well I've got to get back to school. Lunch is almost over. If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, just let me or Felicity know, okay?" I simply nodded in reply. "Alright, thanks Oliver." He smiled and headed for the door. "Bye, Barry." He left. I went back up to my room and laid down on my bed. Before I even knew it, I was asleep.

Then Oliver came rushing into my room and hopped on top of me. He crashed his lips to my own and was feeling up and down my body as he was doing so. I elicited a sharp moan from all the friction and touching. Something I should be afraid of, but with him it felt right, it didn't feel harmful or painful. He tore both our shirts off and he was grinding against me. It felt so... great. "God, Barry, I love you." He moaned out towards me. I shut him up with another kiss. A very rough, passionate kiss. I broke away and replied back to him "I love you too, Oliver." He smirked and started to slowly pull his jeans down, revealing a nice bulge hidden behind his boxers. I went to go pull them down to reveal what he was hiding underneath them, then I woke up...

For fuck's sake, I had just been dreaming about a very... intimate... situation between Oliver and I? What hit me harder than that is in the dream I told Oliver that I loved him. That really freaked me out and had me thinking. Did I love Oliver? Well... For starters, he did save me. Nobody else had done something like that at my old school, but that couldn't be a legitimate reason. He was really kind, caring, compassionate, protective, and well... I can't deny that he is really, really attractive. The way he seemed so... worried about me today really made me feel... different towards him than usual. Especially when he hugged me, I blushed madly when he pulled me into his embrace and I wanted to stay like that forever. The way I felt in the dream definitely seals the deal. I am in love with Oliver Queen... Oh and the mess in my pants kinda needs to be dealt with.

Barry just realized his feelings! How long will it take Oliver to realize he has feelings for everyone's favorite nerd? Or more specifically, WHAT will it take to make him realize his feelings? :o
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I'll admit, it isn't my best, but it works!