Chapter Text
“You’re home late,” Leonard said as Lisa walked through the door. It was nearly midnight and her sister barely stayed out past ten.
Lisa rolled her eyes and joined Len on the couch. “So? Last time I checked, I didn't have a curfew. And you’re not in charge of me.” Obviously the siblings knew none of them were in charge of the other, but still, they had a routine and it worked very well. Ever since Leonard got out of jail they’ve been working hard to keep his name out of cops’ radios and the news. Lisa had invited him to live with her until he found his own place and he was even starting a new job soon as a barista. When Len first told Lisa, she laughed at him. He had to admit, if he thought he would be thirty-five and working at a local café, he wouldn’t have believed it.
“What were you doing?” Len asked. He knew that Lisa had some friends, but none that liked to stay out late and party.
“Remember Iris?” Len nodded, Joe West’s daughter. Joe had helped Len settle down after prison and keep out of trouble. He’d only briefly met his daughter, but from what he’d seen she was nice and independent. “Well I ran into her a couple days ago and then again tonight. She had her brother-- well, foster brother, with her.”
“What’s this got to do with you being out late?” Len interrupted. Then he raised his eyebrows. “Don’t tell me you…”
“Don’t be crude, Lenny,” Lisa chastised. “Of course I didn’t. I’ve only just met him of course.” Still, despite her denying, his sister still had a sly smirk on her face.
“So then what?”
“His name’s Barry. He’s a real cutie, shy and nerdy. Anyways, he and Iris invited me to join them bowling with some of their friends, and that’s where I’ve been.”
It was a reasonable answer, yet Leonard was still suspicious. “Why do you still have that stupid smirk on your face if you didn't sleep with anyone?”
Lisa shrugged. “First, I never said I didn’t sleep with anyone. Second, Barry’s very cute, and very gay.”
“What?” Len questioned when she started to wink at him.
“Len, come on.” She gave him a look. “He’s the same age as Iris, just twenty-seven. You would like him; he has humor that you could enjoy.”
Leonard rolled his eyes. “You’re still talking about Barry, as in Joe West’s son? Sure, like he’ll let me near his family. Also, not interested. I can’t deal with a relationship right now.”
Lisa looked thrilled even though he rejected the idea. “So you’re interested in meeting him, you’re just not ready for the commitment?”
“Sure,” Len agreed easily, hoping it would hurry up the conversation. He was tired and didn’t want to start work half asleep.
“Okay,” Lisa nodded. Then she stood up and headed towards her room. “If you change your mind…”
“I’ll let you know,” Len finished half-heartedly. Lisa had good intentions, but Leonard really didn’t want to deal with dating anyone, at least not yet. He still needed to adjust to life outside prison and adding a cop’s son to the mix didn’t sound good. But if he ever found himself changing his mind, he’ll keep Barry in mind.
And a couple weeks later, when Len and Lisa ran into Joe West and his family, Barry was still in his mind, especially his blue eyes. They were all at Jitters, the coffee shop where Iris used to work before she became a journalist, and where, coincidentally, Len started working. It was his day off, and who knows what he was doing there, but Lisa managed to convince him to join her for a drink. Of course, Leonard immediately realized when he saw the other family.
“Leonard, how are you?” Joe asked as he pulled Len into a side hug. It had taken a while for Joe to warm up to him, but once he did their encounters weren’t as awkward.
“I’m doing well,” Len answered, his gaze wandering to Barry who stood awkwardly between Iris and Joe.
“Lenny,” Lisa interrupted. “This is Barry, Iris’ brother.” Her tone was suggestive. Either Barry didn’t notice or didn’t care, but he held his hand out and smiled.
“Nice to meet you Leonard,” Barry said. “Technically I’m her foster-brother, since you know, I’m not-- well, you know. I’ve heard so much about you; Joe’s latest case. That took a while, you getting out and finally being able to get off probation. It must’ve been rough. I looked over your case a little and helped with the forensics part but it was--”
“Barry,” Len interjected, eyes widening a little to Lisa. He remembered back to when she said he was shy and nerdy. But she had been right when she said he was cute. Barr was very cute, and possibly way out of Leonard’s league. “It’s good to meet you too.” Their hands parted and Barry immediately shoved his in his pockets and leaned slightly towards Iris, who barely contained a smile.
“How about we sit down?” Joe suggested, cutting the awkward silence. They group found a table off to the corner of the shop and they settled down. “How do you like working here?” Joe asked once everyone was seated.
“It’s… different,” Len admitted. He wasn’t used to working such a domestic job, especially not one that had him interact with people every day and expect him to be nice and accommodating. There were some idiots out there and he wasn’t allowed to do anything about them.
“I’m sure,” Iris said. “I loved working here but the rushes were stressful and the tips weren’t great.” That, Leonard had to disagree with. He enjoyed the rushes. Normally, people were in too much of a rush for small talk and barely paid the person who made their drinks any mind if it meant they could get out of the crowd faster. And he didn’t mind the tips, it wasn’t like he was saving up for anything at the moment.
“Hi, sorry I’m late,” a new voice called out. Len looked up and saw Eddie Thawne approaching and then gave Iris a kiss on the cheek. He had also been a huge help for Len settling down. Suddenly, Leonard felt uncomfortable being around too many police. He knew he had nothing to worry about, but call it a habit. Then he remembered something Barry said.
“Barry,” Len said. The other man’s eyes shot up to him. “You said you worked on the forensics part of the case, what do you mean by that?” Barry stared at him a little before answering, his hands shuffling on the table.
“I’m a CSI?” Barry explained, as if Leonard should’ve already known that. “I work at CCPD with Joe and Eddie.” Len’s heart dropped. As if he was even considering going out with a cop’s son, but a cop itself? That was way too much.
Leonard suddenly stood up. “I have to go,” he announced, shooting Lisa a glance that she understood all too well.
“Sure,” she said before anyone else could. “I’ll see you back at the apartment?” Len nodded before he grabbed his coffee and practically ran out. He wasn’t scared of cops, but he had bad experiences with them. Sitting at a table with three of them was too much and had him overwhelmed. Leonard decided to walk back to the apartment. He took his time heading home. He wasn’t sure how much time passed until he heard someone approach from behind him. He immediately stopped and turned around. There was a handsome-looking guy who was smiling at him. He was a few inches taller than Len.
“Can I help you?” Leonard asked coldly. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with a mugger.
“Sorry,” the stranger laughed. “It’s just, you’re like really hot and I wanted to shoot my shot.”
Len was shocked. In all his years living in Central City, he’d never have a random stranger, nevertheless a guy, walk up to him and ask him out. “Sorry,” Len bit out. “I’m not interested in a relationship right now.” It was a lie. He was very interested in Barry, but seeing as that ship had sailed he didn’t want to push his luck with someone else.
If anything, the stranger looked amused by his answer and his face turned smug. “Who said anything about dating? I’m good with hook-ups or a one-night stand. Besides, I don’t think my boyfriend would be happy with sharing with me.”
Again, Leonard was shocked. Something about this guy irked his nerves, and when he mentioned a boyfriend it only made it worse. “Your boyfriend?” he repeated.
“Yeah,” the stranger nodded. “Don’t worry, he won’t find out.” Misinterpreting Len’s angry silence as agreeing, he moved closer and held out his hand. “I’m Liam.”
“Leonard,” Len answered, but he didn’t shake his hand. Liam didn’t seem offended.
Before the conversation could go further, Len heard familiar voices and saw that Iris, Eddie, Lisa, and Barry were approaching from behind them. Joe seemed to have disappeared, not that Len minded.
“Liam?” Barry called out. Liam turned around and his face lit up, but it seemed forced, almost fake. So they knew him, that made Leonard feel a bit better about him. But if they knew about Liam wanting to cheat on his boyfriend, that would become an issue.
“Hi Barry,” Liam smiled. Barry walked up beside him a bit too close, and something went off in Len’s brain, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. With Barry being a bit shorter than Leonard, he almost looked short and small compared to Liam. “What’re you doing out of the lab?” Len assumed he meant the police station’s lab.
“I was having coffee with my family,” Barry explained. Then he turned to Leonard. “I see you’ve met Liam. It’s almost as if fate wants us to be friends, with you talking to my boyfriend.” He had a huge smile on his face.
Leonard choked on his breath and his eyes shot to Lisa’s, who also looked shocked. He noticed Iris’ and Eddie’s reactions, and while they didn’t seem shocked, they looked a bit annoyed. “Boyfriend?” Len clarified.
“Yup, almost three months, right Liam?” Barry seemed blissfully unaware of the tension going on around him, and even more unaware of his boyfriend’s attempt to hook up with Len.
“Almost,” Liam agreed, wrapping his arm around Barry’s shoulders. The bastard has the audacity to look Leonard in the eyes and still mouth ‘If you change your mind ’.
Len stiffened and found Barry’s eyes, who had finally picked up on the shift of conversation. “Awesome,” Len ground out. Just awesome.