Work Text:
Joe sighed as he watched two officers haul the man along as he struggled vehemently. Why did some criminals have to struggle so much? They usually ended up getting tased anyways. He never understood why they made it so hard on themselves- like committing a crime wasn't enough. A few days ago one of them had managed to sneak a knife into the station after being arrested. This particular man had whipped the weapon out of nowhere while his guard was scribbling something down, stabbing the young female officer in the leg.
Joe grabbed for his gun as the woman cried out, grabbing at her leg. The man sliced her along her lower back and she slumped forward, blood quickly staining her uniform. He had a wild look in his eyes, one Joe had seen many times before, but had never grown accustomed to.
He saw Eddie across the room, pulling his gun out as well and moving in front of an elderly lady, ushering her back. Joe raised his gun, but didn't fire in fear of hitting one of the many people that filled the room. It was a busy day at the station, with eye witnesses from a robbery filling out reports and working with sketch artists. Joe already knew, of course, that it was Snart, and that it was very unlikely anyone caught him.
The man held the knife clenched in one hand with white knuckles, eye darting around. scattered screams echoed around him, and a stray bullet hit the wall, drawing more panic from the crowd. Joe briefly wondered where Barry was during the chaos, and his worry was answered when a blur darted by him and a officer was thrown aside as the panicked man lunged.
He heard Barry cry out, and saw the assultant pushed to the floor, knife skidding away. The crackle of electricity buzzed in the air, and as officers swarmed in one the struggling man, Joe whipped around, desperately searching for Barry.
He leaned against the wall in a corner, clutching his side as a slow stain of red crept down through his fingers. Joe hurried to him, and half carried Barry out of the station while Barry murmured something about STAR labs.
Barry had suffered a gash across his arm, and a deep gouge in his side. Caitlin had said he was lucky the knife hadn't hit anything vital. Said he was lucky to be alive. Thus had followed the hour long lectured, delivered by Joe himself, to Barry.
Barry had nodded and promised to be more careful, but Joe could tell he wasn't taking it seriously.
He glanced around the station. People were whispering to one and other, small huddles of mainly women talking excitedly in low voices, giggling. He turned to see what they were all looking at. A few people were clustered out side Singh's office, where he was talking to a tall, broad shouldered man clad in a leather jacket.
Then the man turned and exited the office and Joe knew why all the women were so excited. Oliver Queen quietly surveyed the area for a moment, and people glanced away as he turned his gaze on them. He held himself with confidence, not so much in an arrogant way, but a way Joe recognized. He held himself like he knew he could take down every single one of them without blinking.
He spotted Joe, and strode towards him. "Detective West?" His voice was lower than Joe had expected, having seen Queen on TV. But having watched him on TV, he knew this particular Queen had been started on an island for five years, and knew he had faced a variety of inhuman things. He knew that Oliver's father had died, as his mother. He knew this because he knew what Oliver's nights consisted of, via Barry.
Barry and Oliver were friends, and The Arrow and his team had helped them more than once. He nodded, "That's me. What can I help you with?"
"I'm looking for Barry. Do you know where I can find him." He stated it like fact, like he already knew Joe could answer his question.
He was about to respond when he saw Barry across the room, waving frantically and Joe and shaking his head. "Uhhh,"
Oliver looked at him expectantly, his expression not changing. Then Joe saw realization snap behind his eyes and he looked behind him. Barry had been slowly back away, and yelped when Oliver spun around and walked towards him in long deliberate strides.
"What happened." He demanded, cornering Barry against the wall.
"Oliver-"
"What. Happened."
"I'm fine, really, just a cut, hardly stings-" Barry tried to edge away, but the other man planted arms on either side of him. He could no longer hear what the two were saying, and started forward wit the intention of stopping whatever fight might break out, but froze in his tracks.
Oliver had leaned in, pressing his body closer to Barry, and Joe could see Barry's hands fisted in the material of his shirt, yanking Oliver closer as they kissed. Kissed, oblivious to the stares they were getting. Singh was gaping in his office doorway, and Joe probably had the same expression on his face. The two finally broke apart, breathing heavily, Barry's face flushed.
"Be more careful." Joe could just barely distinguish the words as Oliver pulled back with obvious reluctance.
"I will." Barry said. Oliver nodded, murmuring something else before dislodging himself entirely from Barry. He let his dark gaze land on everyone who dared to keep staring at them, before walking out of the station without another word, leaving Barry pressed against the wall like it was a lifeline, face still pink. He then quickly darted up the stairs back to his lab, shoulders hunched, though Joe could see the grin spreading across his face.
Oliver had told Barry same thing Joe had, and Barry had responded the same way. Though this time, Joe could tell he actually meant it.