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Oliver <3. is calling.
Barry picked up with a smile. “Hey, what's u-”
“I need your help.”
Barry frowned. Oliver sounded tense, like it was a life-and-death situation. “What's wrong?” he said, simultaneously putting on his shoes and jacket.
“Just... Just come here. Please.”
Barry was pretty sure he was breaking his own record when he ran to Starling City (he'd definitely have to tell Cisco about that later). He arrived at Oliver's building, was let in and in front of Oliver's apartment's door in a flash. He could hear a bang and a cry from inside... Was that a baby?
“Oliver?” he called and banged his fist on the door. It opened immediately and revealed a stressed-looking Oliver. Barry could see milky-white and green stains on his otherwise pristine black shit. “What's going on?”
“You're late,” Oliver hissed and grabbed his wrist, pulling him inside.
“Nice to see you too,” Barry mumbled and unwrapped one of Cisco's protein bars – whatever Oliver needed help with, he surely didn't need him passing out.
“Sorry.” Oliver's rigid posture fell and he leaned into Barry, who wrapped an arm around him immediately. “I'm just-” Another cry interrupted him. Barry turned his head towards the source of the noise, and noticed a small crib in the corner of the living room. He looked back at Oliver with raised eyebrows.
“Diggle and Lyla are having their date night, and their usual babysitter cancelled in the last minute, and neither Felicity nor Roy have time, so now I'm stuck with a freaking baby and I have no idea what to do please help.”
Barry couldn't suppress a smile. He quickly finished his protein bar before walking to the crib. The little girl was crying silently now, occasionally letting out a whimper. There was something green smeared around her mouth – Oliver had probably tried to feed her, which explained the stains on his shirt. Barry cooed and lifted her out of the crib; she stopped crying instantly, looking at him with wide eyes. He walked back to where Oliver was standing, the baby propped on his hip, and attempted to wipe her face clean with a finger.
“How did you do that?” Oliver asked in awe. “When I picked her up she started crying.”
Barry smiled when the girl caught his finger and stuffed it into her mouth. “I like kids,” he shrugged. “They're smarter than you give them credit for; they can feel when you don't want them near you.”
Oliver frowned. “It's not that. I just... I don't know how to care for a baby. I never had to.”
“I used to babysit for our neighbours all the time. That's how I fostered my comic book addiction.”
Oliver smiled at him and led him to the couch, a hand on the small of his back. Barry sat down and accepted the wet wipe from Oliver. He cleaned the girl's face gently. When he was done, she laid her head on his chest, still sucking on his finger and gurgling happily.
“What's her name?”
“Sara.”
Barry looked at him in surprise. “Wow. That's...”
“Yeah,” Oliver smiled sadly. “They wanted to honour her memory.”
Barry glanced at the baby on his chest, and decided that yes, Sara was the perfect name for her.
Oliver scooted closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Barry snuggled into the embrace. He was getting tired – the run to Starling, that unique baby smell he couldn't describe with words, and Oliver next to him made him drowsy.
“Let me try holding her?”
“Sure,” Barry yawned and gently lifted Sara from his lap to Oliver's. He wrapped his arms around the girl carefully, and she grabbed his nose and squeezed it. Oliver grimaced, and Barry couldn't hold back a laugh.
“Uhm, ow?” Sara was slapping her palm on his cheeks, giggling madly. “Please stop,” he pleaded but, of course, Sara continued. Barry was crying with laughter, his heart beating wildly at seeing his boyfriend interact with a child, no matter how clumsy he was in his efforts.
“Here, I'll take her again,” Barry gasped and took Sara into his arms again. He lifted her above his head and blew a raspberry on her belly, which made her laugh loudly.
“Why's she so violent?” Oliver frowned, looking completely serious.
Barry snorted. “Oh, come on, she's just a baby. She wants to play with you.”
Oliver eyed her suspiciously for a moment before putting his chin on Barry's shoulder. Sara was still grinning at him, reaching her chubby hands out to him. Oliver lifted his hand and she grabbed it, examining his fingers closely. Barry laughed quietly at the thoughtful look on her face.
“This isn't so bad,” Oliver muttered as he watched Sara. “At least she's not crying anymore.”
“You're an idiot, you know that?”
Oliver grinned and kissed his cheek. “Yeah, I know.”