Work Text:
-Well well well
Barry let out a startled laugh. He could recognize this voice everywhere. He turned toward it, to meet the ice-blue eyes of Leonard Snart, who was looking at him with his usual smirk on his face. The man approached, and sat down next to Barry. He was wearing a way more casual outfit than Barry would usually see him in. He was dressed in blue jeans, and a leather jacket. The cold gun was missing, but the bump on his right side unexpectedly revealed the presence of a gun.
-Fancy seeing you there. It's probably the last bar where I expected someone like you to come. It's not really a place that suits the do-gooders of your kind
Barry shrugged, his stare wandering around the bar. Saint and Sinners had the reputation to be a bar of criminals, where cops weren't accepted. He could vaguely recognize some faces around the bar of criminals who passed by the CCPD, as the ligth of the moon and of the street lights was enlightening the bar more than the crappy ceiling lights. He had had the criminal files of some of these customers between his hands in the past. Barry grabbed his glass, and drank a sip. He had ordered a blue lagoon, not really knowing what to expect. He wasn't much of a drinker, since it had no effect on him, due to his powers.
-I know that here no one will come and give me crap for drinking alone.
Len nodded, and called the bartender, ordered a glass of whiskey "ice cold". The specification made a smile spread on Barry's face.
-So? Why drinking on your own? Does it have anything to do with your... "Exploit" of today?
Len’s tone was teasing. Barry winced. Earlier, he had gotten into a fight with a meta-human with superhuman strength. He moved his arm, that still hurted a bit from being broken only some hours ago
-Kinda, I just... Needed to get out of S.T.A.R. labs and out of my friend's view for a while.
Len looked at the speedster up and down, then grabbed his own glass, and drank a sip of the amber liquid.
-Yeah, I get it, that's why I'm here too. I needed to get out. But for me it was because if I didn't I would've killed Mick.
Barry laughed
-What, you two can't get along?
-Not always. Mick is hot headed. He wants action, and cruelly lacks patience.
The talk continued late into the night, followed by a good number of drinks, until the bartender warned them that the place was about to close, around 2 am. The two men got up after each paid their tab, but Barry grabbed Len’s shoulder when he saw the man getting keys out of his pocket
-Wow, hey, what do you think you’re doing?
Len looked at him, and frowned
-Leaving?
-After what you drank? I’m not letting you drive a car!
-It’s not a car, it’s my bike
-Same thing, there’s too much alcohol in your system for me to let you ride anything, even a bicycle.
Barry snatched Len’s keys, and put them in his pocket, and Len rolled his eyes. He definitely seemed drunk, his posture not really straight, and his words kind of slurred.
-So what? You’re offering me a ride home, pretty boy?
Barry cleared his throat, and scratched his neck
-Well, I ran here, so…
-Can’t run me to my apartment, then?
-For you to throw up on me? No, thank you, I pass
Barry thought. The only idea he had left in mind was… Quite embarrassing
-Maybe I can… Walk you to my apartment? It’s not so far away
Len glared at the speedster, a smirk growing on his face
-Are you offering me something here, Scarlet?
-A place on my couch. Nothing more. Don’t start imagining things.
Len laughed, and shook his head.
-Well, since you seem so adamant about not wanting to let me go home…
Oh Barry wanted to punch this smirk off his face. But at the same time not really. He would’ve started questioning whether the cocktails he had really had no effect on him or not if it wasn’t for Leonard already walking toward the exit. Barry got up, and caught up on him, offering him his body to lean on, since the thief’s walk was uncertain.
-Okay, lead the walk. Not that I don’t know where you live, but it would be less weird if I let you guide
Barry frowned, and looked at the other man, as he was walking at a steady rhythm
-You know where I live?
Len looked at Barry with a confused expression, like his question was stupid
-Duh? Of course I know, I know eeeeverything about you
Barry laughed
-Really?
-Yuuuup
Barry shook his head, with a laugh. Silence stretched between them, as they walked in the dark streets, the only sound they could hear being the far away sound of traffic. Len was the first one to break the silence
-Where were you last time?
Barry shot a confused look at the other man, who was staring in front of himself, with a focused expression
-Last time?
Len nodded his head slowly
-Yeah, three weeks ago.
Oh. Three weeks ago, the Rogues had attacked Central City Bank, but Barry had let the authorities handle it, as he was already in a fight with a meta called The Vanisher (not Cisco’s best performance for a nickname) who had the power to vanish into thin air. Barry chuckled
-What, were you jealous?
Len poked Barry on his right side, tickling a laugh out of the speedster
-No, but it was boring. T’s funnier when you’re here.
-So what, you like to fight with me?
-Yeaah! It’s good, there is the excitation, the thrill! It’s boring when you’re not here. What’s the point of all this planning if you don’t come?
Barry frowned, staring at the other man, who was absently staring nowhere
-So what… You plan your heists just to fight with me?
Len shrugged
-Sometimes, yeah, when I’m bored, or when I argue with Lisa.
Barry didn’t answer. He stared in front of him. It was just a drunken confession. It was better not to overthink it. Barry slightly jumped when Len leaned his head on his shoulder.
-Mick says I’m obsessed with you.
Barry shot a look at the criminal, who now had his eyes closed, trusting Barry to walk them to their destination
-Does he?
-Yeah. But it’s stupid. I’m not.
There was a moment of silence, before Len continued
-Or maybe I am. I’m not sober enough to think about that.
Barry chuckled
-At least you realize that you’re not sober enough, it’s better than nothing
Len laughed
-You’re cute.
-You’re drunk. We’ll see if you still call me that in the morning
-Of course I won’t. ‘Cause we’ll be enemies again. Enemies aren’t supposed to call each other cute.
-Well, if we follow this rule, I shouldn’t be walking you to my apartment then.
-Hm. Yeah. This rule’s stupid.
Barry giggled, gently pushing the man
-When you’re drunk you find a lot of things stupid.
-Because they are
Barry laughed, but didn’t answer. The rest of the walk was in silence, but it surprisingly wasn’t uncomfortable. When they finally arrived at Barry's apartment, Barry opened the door, and laid the thief on the couch. Len groaned, and moved to get in a better position, shrugging his jacket off at the same occasion.
-Your couch’s comfy
Barry closed the door, and walked in the apartment, to grab a pillow and a blanket for the other man. He could vaguely hear the criminal making himself comfortable
-Yeah, you’ll see, it’s not too bad to sleep on
Frowning at the lack of answer from Len, Barry walked back into the living room… To see the man already asleep. Barry sighed, and approached, carefully put a pillow under Len’s head, and put the blanket on him. Barry shot him a last look, before whispering “goodnight”, and turning to walk away. He was stopped in his movement by a hand grabbing his wrist, and violently tugging him down. He turned his head in surprise, and next thing he knew, his lips were slammed on Len’s. Barry let out a surprised groan. The kiss was messy, and surprisingly heated. After some seconds into it, Len let go of the speedster, allowing him to pull away. Barry stared at the thief, who glared back at him, a little smile on his face
-Goodnight, Barry.
Len yawned, and turned to his side, fast asleep, while Barry was just standing there, feeling stupid. He could still feel on his lips the press of Len’s, and he could vaguely feel the lingering taste of alcohol from the kiss. He shivered, staring at the sleeping thief on the couch, before he slowly walked away, deciding he’ll deal with that in the morning.
Len woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon and a painful headache. He forced his eyes open, expecting a snarky comment from Lisa, but it surprisingly didn’t come. He looked around, realizing that he didn’t recognize where he was lying, and sat up. His attention was caught by the sound of someone moving, and he turned his head, to see… Barry Allen, who was staring at him, with a smile. Len flinched, a curse word escaping his lips, which resulted in him falling off the couch he was sitting on. He heard a laugh, and Barry was now standing next to him, his hand extended to help Len get up. Len carefully took it, looking at the speedster warily
-Barry…?
-Hey!
The man smiled, and walked away, to grab a plate that was resting on the kitchen counter, and a glass of orange juice. He settled both those items on the coffee table next to the couch. Len shot a look at the plate. Scrambled eggs, bacon… And a little white pill. He grabbed it, and shot a look at the speedster. Barry answered his silent question
-It’s a painkiller. Considering what you drank yesterday, I figured the hangover would probably hurt
Len stared at the pill for a second, before swallowing it, with a sip of the orange juice
-So… Yesterday…
Len bit the inside of his cheek, realizing he didn’t remember what happened at all. It wasn’t often that such things would happen, since he didn’t usually like to get too drunk. He stared at Barry, hoping the speedster would understand his silent question. Barry chuckled, and swallowed the bacon he was eating
-You don’t remember, doa you?
Len put his hands in his pockets, and closed his eyes, shook his head
-Not… Exactly, no
Barry nodded, and explained, still eating his plate
-We met at Saint and Sinners, we drank, you got drunk, so I brought you here so you could sleep. It was better than letting you drive. I brought your bike back, by the way, it’s parked in the street.
Len nodded. There was a lot left unsaid. He knew it, but decided not to push it. He sat back down on the couch, and started eating, silently. When his headache was gone, and his plate empty, he turned toward the speedster, who was staring at him. He quickly turned his look away when he met Len’s stare. Len frowned, and got up, to sit on a chair at the kitchen counter, in front of Barry
-Tell me, Barry
Barry froze, looking at Len like a deer caught in the headlights
-Did I say or do something while drunk that you might have found… Unsettling?
The blush covering the speedster’s face was an answer by itself. Barry cleared his throat
-What? No, not- not really
Len raised an eyebrow, and said, unconvinced
-You’re not a really good liar, I hope that you’re aware of that
Barry coughed, looking embarrassed. Len got up, and grabbed his bike keys which were waiting in the keybowl
-Well, I don’t see the point of hanging around here more than I should
Barry got up, and put his hands on his hips, his eyes directed at the ground
-Alright, well…
-Yeah, exactly.
Barry looked up at Len, his facial expression unreadable. They stared into each other’s eyes for a minute, before Len walked away, to the door. Barry sighed when he heard the door close behind Len when the thief finally left. Well that was embarrassing. Barry finished his breakfast quickly, and looked around his apartment… And noticed an abandoned black leather jacket, that was definitely not his.
Their next meeting was two weeks later. This time, Barry walked in the bar, expecting to find Leonard. His expectations were fulfilled when he saw the man at the bar, a glass in hand. Barry approached, the leather jacket in his arms. He sat down next to the criminal, who side-eyed him, with a smirk
-Barry. Long time no see, what brings you here today?
Barry put the jacket on the bar, not looking at Len
-You forgot this at my house last time.
Len eyed at the jacket, and his eyes narrowed, before he looked up at Barry
-Try it on
Barry froze for some seconds, dumbfounded
-Wh… What?
-Try the jacket on
Len deadpanned, like it was the most normal thing in the world. The speedster stared at the piece of clothing, before getting up, and putting it on. There was a moment of silence where Len was just staring at him up and down, before acquiescing.
-Looks good on you. You can keep it.
-You’re… Giving me your jacket?
-Hm, what, you don’t want it?
Barry shook his head quickly
-No no no, just, it’s… Unexpected?
Len shrugged, seemingly unbothered. Barry sat back down, without looking at the other man. The silence extended between them, before Barry finally talked
-You kissed me.
Len side-eyed him, eyebrows raised, frozen as he was about to take another sip of his drink
-Excuse me?
Barry scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, and looked away, before muttering
-Last time, at my apartment… You asked if you did anything… Unexpected while drunk… Well you… You kissed me…
Len didn’t answer, forcing Barry to look up at him
-Did I?
Barry nodded, his cheeks burning from blushing.
-Yeah…
Len nodded slowly, like he was acknowledging the information, his eyes not leaving Barry’s… Before he quickly approached, and once again, put his lips on Barry’s. The kiss this time was more controlled, less messy. Barry exhaled a surprised breath, but didn’t pull out. When Len pulled back, Barry whispered
-W…why…?
Len chuckled, his lips still very close to Barry’s, his eyes staring into the speedster’s.
-I thought maybe you’d like a better one.
On those words, he got up, and left, leaving Barry sitting at the bar, a stupid smile growing on his face.