Leonard isn't sure what made the speedster decide to break the dance they'd been doing for so long and kiss him, but he can't deny a very clear and resounding feeling of 'finally!' washing over him. He moves backwards until he hits something solid--the nearest wall behind him-- and stops, pulling away to stare at him, dubious, uncertain, and simultaneously so irrefutablu sure that there was only one direction this could go from here, out. Whether he was ready to admit it or not.
"What was that for?" His voice is softer and a little more breathless than he would have liked, but there isn't much he can do about it. His whole world was being turned on its axis.
Aside from a few very careful touches here and there, a brush of his shoulder or the fainest passing of fingertips, Leonard does not touch people and he does not like to be touched. But this? This has been driving Barry crazy for weeks now. The tension. The lingering looks. Banter that's almost like flirting.
So after the high of foiling a metahuman with Leonard's help? Barry can't stop himself, crashing into his lips and following Leonard as he backs up against the nearest wall.
Finally.
"Because you're you." There's a warmth and fondness to his expression. "Because you're impossible. And you're wonderful."
And I love you. But Barry knows better than to say that one out loud.
He stares at him, the bubbled shock of a laugh escaping him. "Because I'm me is exactly why you shouldn't." He admits, both brows arched in Barry's direction.
Let it be known that he tried to stop this. Thing. Wherever it--and they--end up from here is definitely, decidedly, not his fault. Because he knows every fault and flaw he has and all the reasons why this is a no good, terrible, awful idea. And Barry "Good Guy is my middle name" Allen? Deserves better than the mess that is Leonard "Difficult beyond all reason" Snart.
"Yeah well that hasn't exactly stopped me before," he offers with a crooked sort of smile. That laugh is doing things to him, even if Barry is sure it isn't exactly meant kindly.
Barry darts in for another kiss. "I don't care. I know what I want."
"Who I want."
Leonard might feel like he deserves better but Barry? Barry knows that he deserves everything that is the wonderful and maddening Leonard Snart.
He tenses, obviously, at the second, sudden kiss. "Stop doing that," he mutters, not nearly as annoyed as he wanted to sound.
His eyes make a slow slide toward Barry's, a careful shake of his head, "I don't think you really understand the mess you're actually headed toward if you go down this path."
Barry doesn't take offense at the tension or the direction to stop doing that. Leonard is.. cagey. Difficult. But Barry has all the patience in the world when he's finally sorted out things in his own head.
"Hey, I'm not exactly the poster child for normal either," he offers, backing up only about half a step because while he doesn't want to, he knows Leonard likes having his space.
"And I happen to think you're worth it. Mess and all."
"We're not cut from the same cloth, Barry," it's one of those drawled out warnings he likes to give out from time to time, but a part of him, no matter how small, no matter how much he tries to drown it out and ignore it, desperately wants Barry to ignore that warning.
There's just something about the speedster's persistence that works, even though Leonard wished it didn't.
But Barry Allen has been under his skin long before this moment. And Leonard knows that won't fade any time soon.
"What if you change your mind?" Doesn't mean he's giving in that easily-- he can't. He has to know exactly where Barry is in this because Leonard only plays for keeps in this game.
"I know." Because of course Leonard is going to remind him yet again what a bad idea this is, calling out their differences instead of all of the reasons that this could work. Reasons that led them to where they are right now. "And I don't care."
Change his mind? There's a flicker of confusion across his face. Barry isn't a serial dater, not before the lightning and certainly not after.
Oh. Then it dawns on Barry and he shakes his head with a smile. "Not a chance. I won't leave unless you tell me, and even then I'll never give up on you Leonard Snart."
Look. Okay. He's just...caitious about these sorts of things. He's painfully aware of the exact kind of mess and frustration he is to deal with. He's purposefully difficult and, though he'd never admit it in these words, he's a little desperate for reassurances in a multitude of ways. Leonard Snart is nothing if not high maintenance.
"How can you be that sure?" About anything, really, but especially this. Him.
Leonard is cautious. Barry has faith. Somehow they're going to make it work, he's sure of it.
Barry wants to reach out and touch, but he also knows he shouldn't, that unwelcome touch is kind of a big deal so he shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels with a smile.
"That's easy. If I wasn't that sure about you, about how I feel, we wouldn't be standing here right now." Head tip. "And if you weren't at least interested you would have frozen my ass off by now."
He notices the way Barry shoves his hands in his pockets and he can only assume it's because he wants to reach out. It's a tiny thing, but it goes a long way with him.
"I never said I wasn't interested," he corrected, quick, almost like a reflex. "I just said it's not the best idea." A beat. "Difference."
That qualification sets up a flutter just inside Barry's chest and his smile gets all the brighter for it. Still, he keeps his hands where they are to contain any desire he might have (and he does) to touch again, or to steal another kiss.
"I kinda know about bad ideas and this one? This one I'm okay with. Okay enough that I'd like to invite you over for dinner. Something quiet, just us."
He hates the way Barry just-- lights up. Except in the way he doesn't hate it at all and just wishes he didn't feel it in his chest like a sunburst explosion.
The invitation to dinner does something else entirely and before he can stop them, words roll right out of his mouth, "I don't date." Leonard isn't even sure why, that isn't how Barry phrased it even, but it seems significant to point out, somehow.
"Well then I guess it's a good thing I asked you to dinner and nothing formal like a date," Barry counters easily. "It's just dinner. Just you, just me and hopefully nothing going wrong for the night." A simple night with Barry and Leonard rather than Flash and Cold.
His tongue presses against the inside of his cheek, annoyed at the easy as breathing counter Barry seemed to just have at the ready. He has a feeling that they could do this for a long time, shooting reasons back and forth for or against this idea, but never getting anywhere at all.
Maybe it would be easier to just--
"Fine." The agreement is quiet, like it's a secret only for Barry to hold. "Dinner...just us."
That.. actually didn't take as long as Barry thought it would and he grins at the quiet agreement. "My place, tomorrow night barring any more city-wide catastrophes? I'll even cook."
The quick and easy agreement probably speaks volumes to how much and how long this may have been on his mind. He nods at the now-set invitation. "I'll be there at seven."
----
There's a part of getting something you've wanted for longer than you care to consider that dissolves the desire to keep it. That's just a fact that Leonard had come to terms with a long time ago and it made him cautious about pursuing certain things. Material things? Sure, he'll go for that in a heartbeat, but something less physical? Well, he's really only given that part of himself to one person. before.
Barry had said simple, so he didn't go out of his way-- jeans and a simple black sweater. But he's on time, a knock sounding on Barry's door as the clock turns from 6:59 to 7:00pm.
And as Leonard approaches the door he'll hear upbeat music playing and what is undoubtedly Barry singing along to his heart's content. What? He's got every right to be happy and the singing will help with his terrible case of nerves because he really, really wants this to go right.
It takes a moment before he's finally rushing to the door, answering it with a breathless smile and rush of wind and lightning. Wow. And he thought the parka was a hot look.
"Hey. C'mon in. I'm almost done."
That's right, Barry is almost kind of sort of on time for dinner. For once.
Leonard is just going to pretend that voice doesn't do things to him. And smiles a little at the enthusiastic way Barry opens the door and greets him. "Hey," he holds out the bottle of wine he'd picked up--from safehouse number three, with a well-stocked wine cellar. "I didn't know what you were making, but a good red goes with most things." He may be a criminal, but he can have class when he wants to, thanks.
He slips inside and follows Barry into the kitchen, where the finished parts of his spread already laid out on the table. He's unsurprised at the borderline feast that's been prepared; speedster metabolism and all.
Not that Barry knows the first thing about wine pairings, but given the amount of food he made it had to go well with something, right? Right. The kitchen is all but overflowing with food, pasta and sauces, roast chicken and vegetables, soup and fresh bread and cheese, salad and at least a few different desserts.
Okay so Barry may have gone a little overboard not knowing what Leonard might like so he just made a little of everything right down to Grandma Esther's famous noodles, but he'll chalk it up to wanting this to go right.
"I know, I kinda went overboard," he admits guiltly. "But help yourself to whatever you like."
"Nothing wrong with a little variety," he smirks and wanders over to start filling a plate with food. Barry is hardly the first to go all out in the kitchen for him; apparently it's a theme and people just really think he should eat more than he does.
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{All I need is to be struck by your electric love
Date: 2018-02-09 03:01 am (UTC)"What was that for?" His voice is softer and a little more breathless than he would have liked, but there isn't much he can do about it. His whole world was being turned on its axis.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-10 01:41 pm (UTC)He shouldn't.
Aside from a few very careful touches here and there, a brush of his shoulder or the fainest passing of fingertips, Leonard does not touch people and he does not like to be touched. But this? This has been driving Barry crazy for weeks now. The tension. The lingering looks. Banter that's almost like flirting.
So after the high of foiling a metahuman with Leonard's help? Barry can't stop himself, crashing into his lips and following Leonard as he backs up against the nearest wall.
Finally.
"Because you're you." There's a warmth and fondness to his expression. "Because you're impossible. And you're wonderful."
And I love you.
But Barry knows better than to say that one out loud.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-11 12:11 am (UTC)Let it be known that he tried to stop this. Thing.
Wherever it--and they--end up from here is definitely, decidedly, not his fault.
Because he knows every fault and flaw he has and all the reasons why this is a no good, terrible, awful idea.
And Barry "Good Guy is my middle name" Allen? Deserves better than the mess that is Leonard "Difficult beyond all reason" Snart.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-11 12:44 am (UTC)Barry darts in for another kiss. "I don't care. I know what I want."
"Who I want."
Leonard might feel like he deserves better but Barry? Barry knows that he deserves everything that is the wonderful and maddening Leonard Snart.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-11 02:22 am (UTC)His eyes make a slow slide toward Barry's, a careful shake of his head, "I don't think you really understand the mess you're actually headed toward if you go down this path."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-12 03:11 pm (UTC)"Hey, I'm not exactly the poster child for normal either," he offers, backing up only about half a step because while he doesn't want to, he knows Leonard likes having his space.
"And I happen to think you're worth it. Mess and all."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-17 03:29 am (UTC)There's just something about the speedster's persistence that works, even though Leonard wished it didn't.
But Barry Allen has been under his skin long before this moment. And Leonard knows that won't fade any time soon.
"What if you change your mind?" Doesn't mean he's giving in that easily-- he can't. He has to know exactly where Barry is in this because Leonard only plays for keeps in this game.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-17 01:47 pm (UTC)Change his mind? There's a flicker of confusion across his face. Barry isn't a serial dater, not before the lightning and certainly not after.
Oh. Then it dawns on Barry and he shakes his head with a smile. "Not a chance. I won't leave unless you tell me, and even then I'll never give up on you Leonard Snart."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 06:48 pm (UTC)"How can you be that sure?" About anything, really, but especially this. Him.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 08:18 pm (UTC)Somehow they're going to make it work, he's sure of it.
Barry wants to reach out and touch, but he also knows he shouldn't, that unwelcome touch is kind of a big deal so he shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels with a smile.
"That's easy. If I wasn't that sure about you, about how I feel, we wouldn't be standing here right now." Head tip. "And if you weren't at least interested you would have frozen my ass off by now."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 09:26 pm (UTC)"I never said I wasn't interested," he corrected, quick, almost like a reflex. "I just said it's not the best idea." A beat. "Difference."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-19 09:28 pm (UTC)"I kinda know about bad ideas and this one? This one I'm okay with. Okay enough that I'd like to invite you over for dinner. Something quiet, just us."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 12:29 am (UTC)The invitation to dinner does something else entirely and before he can stop them, words roll right out of his mouth, "I don't date." Leonard isn't even sure why, that isn't how Barry phrased it even, but it seems significant to point out, somehow.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 01:28 am (UTC)Maybe it would be easier to just--
"Fine." The agreement is quiet, like it's a secret only for Barry to hold. "Dinner...just us."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 08:32 pm (UTC)----
There's a part of getting something you've wanted for longer than you care to consider that dissolves the desire to keep it. That's just a fact that Leonard had come to terms with a long time ago and it made him cautious about pursuing certain things. Material things? Sure, he'll go for that in a heartbeat, but something less physical? Well, he's really only given that part of himself to one person. before.
Barry had said simple, so he didn't go out of his way-- jeans and a simple black sweater. But he's on time, a knock sounding on Barry's door as the clock turns from 6:59 to 7:00pm.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-20 08:48 pm (UTC)It takes a moment before he's finally rushing to the door, answering it with a breathless smile and rush of wind and lightning.
Wow.
And he thought the parka was a hot look.
"Hey. C'mon in. I'm almost done."
That's right, Barry is almost kind of sort of on time for dinner.
For once.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-21 12:08 am (UTC)He slips inside and follows Barry into the kitchen, where the finished parts of his spread already laid out on the table. He's unsurprised at the borderline feast that's been prepared; speedster metabolism and all.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-21 02:12 am (UTC)Not that Barry knows the first thing about wine pairings, but given the amount of food he made it had to go well with something, right? Right. The kitchen is all but overflowing with food, pasta and sauces, roast chicken and vegetables, soup and fresh bread and cheese, salad and at least a few different desserts.
Okay so Barry may have gone a little overboard not knowing what Leonard might like so he just made a little of everything right down to Grandma Esther's famous noodles, but he'll chalk it up to wanting this to go right.
"I know, I kinda went overboard," he admits guiltly. "But help yourself to whatever you like."
no subject
Date: 2018-02-22 02:30 am (UTC)