I've Got Soul but I'm Not a Soldier

Grounded

"You 'n me need to talk," Joe West says simply, gun level with Len's chest. "Is Barry here?"

Len nods numbly, wishing he'd brought his cold gun or something, or woken Barry. Instead, Barry's sound asleep in bed with no idea his father figure is pointing a gun at his boyfriend.

"Is he sleeping?"

Another nod.

"Good. Step outside."

"If you're going to shoot me, I'd rather be inside," Len says.

West scowls at him. "I don't want to have to use this, Snart. Step outside."

Len sighs and does as he's told, still clad in his clothes from the night before, minus his shoes. At some point during the night he lost his left sock, apparently; he steps outside with a bare foot, and a socked foot. His toes curl self-consciously as West looks him over.

"Long night?" he asks.

"Something like that," Len replies. "What's this about, detective? I haven't committed any crimes lately, and all my records are gone."

"I still haven't forgiven you for that little stunt," West says sharply, and Len's mouth snaps shut. "But I'm not here as a detective – I'm here as a father."

Len smirks, unable to stop himself. "Iris told you about the engagement party."

"She told me my son is engaged to a criminal, yes," West says. "I am not pleased, Snart."

Len shrugs; pleasing the detective is really very low on his to-do list. Barry occupies the first five slots. And then there's the matter of moving, and getting a ring, because he's getting married in December.

It still hasn't quite sunken in yet.

Captain Cold, engaged to the Flash.

The concrete step beneath his bare foot tells him this isn't a dream.

"How did you manipulate him this time?" West asks.

And Len doesn't like that tone, or how he's insinuating Len has manipulated the kid before. "Manipulating people isn't really my thing," he says. "I'm a thief, not a psycho."

West's eyes narrow into thin, angry slits. A part of Len wishes Barry were here right now to diffuse this situation; the kid's going to have a field day when Len tells him about this moment right here. If he gets out of it, that is. If West doesn't shoot him for daring to date and plan to marry his son.

Marriage. It's still so foreign to him.

He can't blame his goosebumps on the warm air.

"What is your game here, Snart?"

"No game," Len says simply. "I know it's hard for you to believe, detective, but I like Barry. I'm not using him. I have never once asked him to lie for me. I don't even tell him about my criminal activities, which, by the way, you have no proof of."

"Oh, I know you're not innocent," West says.

"What's your game?" Len demands. "Holding a gun to an unarmed man early in the morning? I'm pretty sure that's illegal, Detective."

"I just want to know what your plans are with my kid," West says.

Len shakes his head. "I plan to marry him in December." He takes in a slow breath, eying the man with the gun. His future father-in-law, of sorts, if he lives through today. "He'd really like it if you were there. If you gave him your blessing."