The Scientist and his Pilot

That's him

Barry's eyes snapped open, blurry with tears. His eyes adjusted to see Hal with his hands on his shoulders with an incredibly worried look.

"Barry?"

This was Hal, his Hal. The look of concern and fear in his eyes that only a close friend shows you. Barry felt a tear slither it's way down his cheek, soon followed by a loud sniffle.

"Hey, Barry."

Hal reached out and pulled Barry into a hug, the feeling of safety and security wrapped itself around Barry, filling him with warmth. That's why it was so heartbreaking; the nightmares, seeing Hal treat him that way, feeling Hal treat him that way.

"I'm sorry..." Barry whimpered between tears.

"Don't be sorry..." Hal ran his fingers through Barry's hair, gently and lovingly.

"Wh-what happened?" Barry looked up at Hal with red tear stained eyes.

"Well, we were watching the movie and you fell asleep on my lap...I didn't think much of it but then..." Hal's face turned back to worried. "You started shouting my name and crying and screaming...and..." Hal swallowed. "I tried to comfort you but you just kicked me away, I didn't know what to do and I was so panicked..." Hal met eyes with Barry. "But you're ok now..."

"T-thank you." Barry sunk back into Hal's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"Uhm...Barry."

"Yeah?" Barry looked up.

"Is that...Is that the reason why you wanted me to stay over?"

"Uhm..." Barry wasn't sure what to say, well really there was only one thing to say and work your way from there. "Yes...I...." Barry burst back into short sobs in Hal's arms.

"Shhhh, Barry it's ok, it's ok." Hal pulled Barry close, Barry's blond hair tickled at his chin.

"It's just...ever since the incident the other day I've been having-- please don't laugh at me."

"Why would I laugh?" Hal frowned.

"Because it's dumb...I've been....having nightmares, about the alternate dimension I visited and I always woke up crying and...I know they're just dreams but..." Barry wiped away a fresh batch of tears.

"It's ok, dreams can seem very real sometimes... That isn't dumb at all Barry...but why didn't you tell me? Or Iris or Clark?"

"Because I'm dumb, it's dumb..."

Hal gently brushed the side of Barry's face, dragging the falling tears away from his cheek.

"You're not dumb, Barry." Hal said quietly.

"I just...in the dreams everything is horrible..." Barry swallowed and stared Hal dead on on the eyes. "You're horrible...and when I wake up I have to remind myself it's just a dream but..." Barry's throat tightened, he struggled for words.

Hal picked up on this and pulled Barry into a warm, tight embrace.

"Barry, I'm here, in real life, in our world...I'm here, and...I love you." Hal hoped his friend would take that as a platonic compliment, because really now was not the time to ask someone out.

"I love you too Hal." Barry nuzzled himself into Hal's arms.

Barry stayed like that for a a while before he pulled away and shifted his position so he was laying down in Hal's Lap, as he was before, he draped the blanket over the two of them and reached out for the popcorn.

"Wanna continue our movie night?"

Hal smiled, that's his Barry.

"Hell yeah."

***

"Hal!"

Hal woke with a jolt and slid of the couch, dragging the blanket down with a bang along with him. Hal squinted his eyes, the room was lit up with sunlight, bright sunlight.

"Argh fu--"

"Language Hal." Hal looked up to see Barry, glaring down at him.

"It's too bright." Hal whined and shoved the blanket over his face.

Barry rolled his eyes "That would make sense, seeing it's midday."

"Midday? Jesus fu--"

"Do I need to wash your mouth out with soap?" Barry ripped the blanket from Hal's face, throwing it back on the couch.

"Ugh, God I wish I never spoke." Hal groaned.

Hal rolled himself over and with helpful leverage from the couch, he pulled himself up with a huffed groaned.

"I made pancakes, I tried to leave as many as I could for you but uh...I can get pretty hungry."

Hal snorted. "Yeah I know, I don't know how many times you've borrowed my lunch."

"Hey, try having a metabolism like me and see how you go." Barry laughed.

Barry walked over with two plates, he gave one to Hal and sat down holding the other one.

"How does brunch sound Hal?"

"Pretty good, smells good too."

"You flatterer." Barry laughed, taking a bite of a pancake.

The two of them sat on the couch, Barry had to get up at one point to get refill his plate, they both sat in silence just enjoying the moment until the silence was broken by Barry.

"Hal?"

"Yeah?" Hal said with a mouthful of pancake.

"Would you be able too...stay over again tonight?"

Hal swallowed the mouthful "Yeah sure."

"I just...it's nice having someone...with me..."

"Yeah I understand." Hal out a hand on Barry shoulder and smiled.

Barry smiled back.

"So are you prepared for Grown ups 2 tonight?" Hal laughed.