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Hartley sat in the study with his parents and younger sister. He glanced at the clock, tapping his fingers on his leg. His boyfriend was ten minutes late and counting.
“Doesn’t look like he’s showing up.” His father stated dryly. The two of them were still not on good terms but put up with each other for the girls. Hartley loved his mother and sister dearly. The woman in question gave him a sad smile as his sister hummed happily, leaning into her side.
“I’m sorry Hartley. I knew you really cared about this young man.” Hartley wasn’t discouraged yet though.
“He probably got called into work or can’t find the house.” Hartley reasoned.
“Sweetie…” There was a ringing of the doorbell that interrupted his mother. It was quiet as the butler led in a ruffled looking young man.
“I am so sorry I’m late. I had told everyone I was leaving at four but then there was new evidence found that had to be start processing right away and so I was running late but-”
“It’s okay.” Hartley interrupted, standing up to take his hand, “You’re here now and that’s what counts.” He pressed a quick kiss to Barry’s cheek then turned to his family.
“Mom, dad, Jerrie. This is my boyfriend Barry Allen. Barry this is my father Osgood, my mother Rachel and my little sister Jerrie.”
“It’s nice to meet you all and I want to apologize again for being late.”
“Great first impression.” Hartley’s father mumbled under his breath. His mother sent a sharp look to her husband.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She greeted warmly.
“Likewise Mrs. Rathaway.”
“Hi.” Jerrie smiled to Barry. Barry smiled back, crouching to be at eye level.
“Hi Jerrie. I’m happy I can meet you. Hartley talks about you a lot.” Barry lent forward to mock whisper, “Even more than his rats.” Jerrie giggled happily.
“Oh yes because that is something to tell a child. Her brother talks about her more than rodents.” Osgood grumbled. Barry’s smile turned a little strained but he didn’t let it bother him.
“I like Merida.” Jerrie suddenly spoke up.
“Really? What’s your favorite thing about her?” Barry asked, settling on the ground. Hartley smiled as he watched the two. The two seemed unaware of the tension rising around them. Osgood was scowling, Rachel seemed uneasy and Hartley felt a prickling annoyance at his father’s behavior.
“Who’s do you like?” Jerrie asked. Barry put on a dramatic thinking face.
“My favorite disney princess… hmm… My favorite Princess is Tiana from Princess and the Frog.”
“Hartley says you remind him of Rapunzel… or Belle.”
“Oh really now?” Barry asked in amusement. He looked up at Hartley, fluttering his eyelashes.
“Guess that makes you my prince charming.”
“Ego ero princeps vester esset, diligeretis mea formonsa fulgur percusserit.” Barry’s confusion was endearing.
“Dinner is ready.” A servant informed as she curtsied. They were all led to the dining room. Of course Osgood sat at the head of the with Rachel and Jerrie to his right. Hartley sat to the left with Barry next to him.
“So is Barry your actual name?” Osgood questioned. Barry’s face flushed.
“Uh, no sir. It’s… It’s actually Bartholomew but it’s not the easiest name to pronounce so Barry.” Rachel quickly spoke up in case her husband tried anything else.
“So Barry, what do you do for a living?”
“I work at the CCPD as a forensic scientist.” Barry replied happily.
“Mm.” Osgood’s response had Barry deflating just a little bit.
“What’s that?” Jerrie asked curiously. Barry tilted his head as he thought of a way to respond to that.
“Okay. Have you ever got paint on your hands then touched something?” Jerrie nodded, “Bad guys do things like that a lot though it’s not always hand prints. Sometimes it some clothes or a bit of blood. I take the evidence and see what it is. Like there was some dirt and I figured out the barn it came from.”
“Cool!” Barry ignored Osgood’s scoff.
“Do you have any sisters or brothers?” Jerrie asked.
“Well I have a foster sister. Her name is Iris.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means his parents were unfit to raise him,” Osgood eyed him with distaste, “THough I wouldn’t say much about his other family either.”
“Dad!” Hartley snapped, worried eyes glancing to Barry whose smile was dangerous now.
“Actually sir. My father was a well known doctor and my mother worked at a nursing home until deciding on being a stay at home mother.”
“Of course, of course.” Osgood did not believe him but Barry continued on.
“The reason I was brought into a foster home was because my mother was murdered and my father was blamed for it though there was recent evidence that proved his innocence.”
“It took how many years to prove this?”
“Well it was definitely a bitter feeling when you can finally prove what you’ve been telling everyone for years. No one wanted to believe that anyone other than my father could have done it. Even though I told them so repeatedly.”
“Just what does that mean?”
“Just as it sounds sir. I know my father was innocent because he was in the other room.” Hartley placed a hand on Barry’s arm, offering comfort.
“Barry.” He slipped his hand in Hartley’s, giving it a bit of a squeeze. He was okay.
“How did you two meet?” Rachel asked, trying to change the subject after the dark glare she sent to her husband. Both of them blushed at that.
“Well actually…”
“The first time was during that time last year when I wasn’t… exactly thinking straight.” Barry snorted a laugh.
“Hart you never think straight.” Hartley rolled his eyes but a smile was there.
“Evidently neither do you.”
“Of course, I can never think straight around you.” Hartley couldn’t stop his laugh.
“I think you are spending too much time with Leonard.”
“Leonard?” Rachel asked curiously.
“He’s… a friend?”
“Seeing someone on the side?” Osgood scowled.
“Actually he is a friend but he is not in a good place right now so it’s strained.
“Besides, you aren’t one to talk.” Hartley spoke up with a cold look to his father.
“Hartley.” His father’s tone held a warning in it.
“No. I have had to listen to your snide remarks all week since announcing this diner and I’m not going to sit here listening to you insult my boyfriend. You better start trying to get to know him because I don’t plan on leaving him.”
“And just how do you know he has the same sentiments.” The anger that took over Barry’s face was thunderous, the very idea-
“If you-”
“Excuse me sir but you have no idea what I went through to convince Hartley that truly wanted to date him, that I love him and I wasn’t going to leave him like so many other people in his life.”
“That is enough.” Osgood growled.
“No.” Barry spoke firmly, “I am not going let you plant doubt in Hartley’s mind that I care less for him in any sense. Hartley means everything to me and I won’t let anyone, especially you, tell him otherwise.” Barry finished with a glare. He was being met with shocked looks from Hartley and Rachel, Osgood was fuming and Jerrie was happily oblivious.
“You… love me?” Hartley asked with the beginnings of a smile. Barry shrugged with a bright blush on his face.
“Not how I wanted to tell you.”
“Oh?” Barry rubbed the back of his head nervously.
“I… might have had this whole thing planned out to tell you.”
“Your such a dork.” Hartley chuckled, kissing Barry afterward.
“I will not be spoken to in that manor in my own house!” Osgood snapped.
“Then this is where we will take out leave.” Hartley stood up with Barry right at his side, “It was great seeing you again Mother, Jerrie.” Jerrie quickly slipped out of the chair and ran around the table, tackling Hartley in a hug.
“I’ll visit soon, promise.”
“Barry too?” Jerrie asked. Barry practically melted, crouching down so that Jerrie could hug him too.
“Maybe we can all go to the zoo.” Barry suggested in lieu of coming back to this place. Jerrie beamed at that suggestions. Hartley took Barry’s hand and they left.
“I’m sorry.” Barry said as soon as they were in Hartley’s car.
“Barry you did nothing wrong. DIner wasn’t a complete disaster though. Jerrie seems to like you and so does mother. That is all that matters to me.” Barry smiled a little.
“Oh and Barry?”
“Hm?” Hartley smiled sweetly to him, kissing him soundly,
“I love you too.”