Chapter Text
It’s been four months since he got together with Leonard and Mick. For the most part, things had been going extremely well. Sure, the three of them got into arguments, Leonard and Mick especially, but every one of them had been resolved. For the most part. Mick still left his clothes around here and there, but Barry sensed that it had been a repeating fight long before he started dating them. Barry’s fall semester had ended peacefully and he was excited to start the spring semester.
Christmas had been an interesting affair to say the least. Joe and Iris were still icy to each other, at best. Barry had suggested that he could tell Joe about him dating Leonard and Mick, which would undoubtedly get the heat of Iris but she had declined. Iris said that she didn’t want Barry throwing himself under the bus for her. If Joe had such an issue with her dating Eddie, even after agreeing to not become an officer herself, then he could talk it out with her like an adult. Barry had reluctantly agreed and kept his thoughts to himself. After all, Iris was very much like her father, especially with her ability to hold a grudge.
The conversations those couple of weeks had been stilted but the Christmas mood had lightened them up enough that it had been enjoyable. There were a few comments from the both of them but Barry had diffused the situations cleanly every time and there was a distinct lack of blow ups. He sensed an end to the West family fight in the near future.
Barry had spent New Years with his roommates, Iris, and Eddie. Hal was off on some ‘top secret’ mission. Barry was only 80% sure that he was joking. Leonard and Mick had said they had to make a trip to Nevada, Barry knew better than to ask for specifics. While Caitlin had given him a knowing glance when he told the group his boyfriends were busy, no one had given him any flak. They had partied through the night and Cisco and Barry jokingly glanced at each other during the ball drop before clinking their glasses together. The rest of the night had been a bit of a blur.
Barry couldn’t help but think about his boyfriends as he walked into his shared apartment. He knew all his friends knew that his boyfriends weren’t the most law abiding citizens, even Eddie, but he couldn’t help but feel anxious. What if one of them decided that they were taking their crimes too far? Whatever those crimes were.
He knew that they were thieves first and foremost, but he hadn’t been eager to hear about their escapades. He was starting to regret not needling the two for a bit more information. While Barry could assume that they weren’t killing people, he knew that they would often hurt them. He had seen both of them come home with scrapes and bruises before, there was clear proof of that.
Barry’s thoughts were interrupted by Cisco nudging him in the side. He was holding the bags of Chinese food that everyone had ordered. “If you’re not going to help, so help me God, you better move.”
Barry quickly grabbed two bags from him and made his way to their kitchen. The four of them were still sharing an apartment, much to Cisco’s chagrin. He had complained about being the only single one within the apartment. Barry brought up the fact that while he was dating, he didn’t live with his significant other and if Caitlin and Ronnie moved out, rent would be a little difficult. He had reluctantly agreed but, in true Cisco fashion, he often made jokes about it.
“Food!” Barry called out. He kept an eye on Ronnie and Caitlin as they were both pretty bad at pulling themselves away from work, Caitlin in particular. Ronnie pulled himself away from his engineering readings. He circled around the dining table to nudge at Caitlin and pulled her up from her seat.
“Our savior.” Ronnie grinned at Barry.
“I’m the one that grabbed it!” Cisco complained. Caitlin laughed at him before grabbing the last bag of food from him.
“Yeah, but Barry would’ve made sure we actually ate,” Caitlin teased. Cisco grumbled but didn’t deny her point. Barry shook his head fondly at them and started removing the food from the bags.
“Are Snart and Mick back today?” Ronnie asked. While most everyone had taken to calling Mick, well, Mick, it seemed everyone had a harder time calling Len anything but Snart. Barry knew that he didn’t mind, maybe even preferred everyone, but Mick and Barry, to call him Snart, but some part of him felt a little disheartened that they were so resistant to Leonard. All of them got along well enough, but more often than not, Cisco, Mick, Caitlin, and Leonard butted heads with each other. Barry and Ronnie often got stuck on de-escalation duty.
“Tomorrow,” Barry shrugged.
“So we aren’t going to be seeing you the rest of the weekend, huh?” Cisco wriggled his eyebrows. Barry gave him a friendly shove as Ronnie laughed at him. Caitlin shook her head at the boys and grabbed her food before returning to the dining table.
“Can you not make it sound so dirty? We’ve only kissed!” Barry quickly grabbed his own food and wandered to the couch. The open common area made it easy to still talk to everyone.
“Seriously? It’s been like 4 months since you guys have gotten together.” Cisco sat down next to him, slurping his noodles.
“I have to agree. Snart looks like he wants to jump your bones every time he sees you. It’s hard to believe you guys haven’t done more than kiss,” Ronnie piped up from beside Caitlin at the table.
“Not that you owe us any of this information if you’re uncomfortable,” Caitlin said pointedly. Cisco ignored her and elbowed Barry in the side. He gave Cisco a look before sighing.
“We’re taking it slow. There are a lot of things going on. We just wanna make sure that we aren’t rushing into things and making bad decisions. Mick and Len are both very serious about making sure I’m comfortable about everything.”
“Aw, that’s sweet of them. I’m glad they aren’t trying to pressure you into anything, Barry. Don’t listen to the guys.”
“Thanks, Caitlin.” Barry gave her a smile. “I just think there’s a lot of room for error, considering everything in our lives.”
“Not wrong. You, a child of a detective, are dating not one, but two, criminals. There could be some issues in your future.” Cisco cowed away at the withering glare from both Barry and Caitlin. “I’m just saying! It’s a big thing to be thinking about!”
“Totally not something that keeps me awake at night. Thanks, Cisco,” Barry deadpanned.
“Everything’ll be fine!”
“Cisco!” Everyone shouted. Barry groaned and put his head in his hands.
“I can’t win! Be realistic, get yelled at. Be supportive, get yelled at!”
“You just jinxed him, buddy,” Ronnie sighed. Cisco’s eyes widened before guiltily turning to Barry.
“Oops?”
Barry sunk deeper into the couch. Oh god, he was going to be in so much trouble.