The Speed to Rob a Queen's Heart - Olivarry

The Girl and the Boy With Two Names

"I love you, Oliver." Barry finally confesses, rolling off his tongue so easy, so simply. Oliver reopens his eyes, feeling the war between his head and heart grow as Barry continues to speak from his very own heart. "And I'm all in. So if you ever change your mind, if you ever want to say it back, or if you want me to come back, just say the words. And I'll come running home to you." He promises with that tender smile Oliver loves so much. "There is only one reason I'm going, and it's not you. But you're every single reason to stay." Barry rubs his hand smoothly past Oliver's cheek to the back of Oliver's head, slightly clawing onto his hair, and pushes his forehead to his lips. Planting a sweet forehead kiss, he hears Oliver exhale as Barry holds it, both dwelling on letting go.

It takes a few beats, but Barry eventually wills himself to unlatch his hand from Oliver's hair, reversing his actions all the way to the cupping of his cheek, but quickly changes his direction to smoothly run his hand all the way down Oliver's arm to search for Oliver's hand.

Barry interlocks his fingers with Oliver's, gentle like every touch he's been laying upon him, and gives him a small squeeze before again, having to will himself to let go.

Barry takes a step backwards, but doesn't let his eyes leave Oliver. He knows that if he continues standing there, he would end up trying to kiss Oliver on the lips, and neither of them could handle that right now. But a clear hope lights into his mind: kissing Oliver Queen once more one day, some day, and hopefully, just hopefully, when that day comes, it's to until the end of time.

"Bye, Barry." Oliver whispers with a broken voice. He walks around him, ready to leave without saying another word. But it takes as little as five steps to realize he was forgetting something. He turns around to throw himself into Barry's arms, surprising him with a hug. He holds back onto him even tighter, and it was only for a few seconds, but it was enough for them to let go — for now as it may seem for one of them and for forever as it may seem for the other.

Oliver lets go once he begins to cry, not taking another look at the man that he loves, and quickly heads his way out the door, not turning back for what was believed to be for the rest of eternity.

But in this moment, with his back turned to the man that could be the very love of his life, he knew. That this is the day he is ready to take the risk. That now, he's selfish enough to keep Barry home rather than to let him go only to lure him back. That he doesn't have to find his way back to Barry because he isn't setting him free. That Barry robbed him of his heart faster than anyone ever has. That he's ready the way Barry is ready for him. For the commitment to not only Barry, but to love. To risk being destroyed by it, and being hurt all the more for it. And that Barry doesn't have to run back home, because he is home.

It's now, not never. It's all, not nothing.

And Barry? He's everything.

•••

"You're in Central City?" Barry asks with his eyebrows buried deep above his eyes. For so long, he's been convinced that Oliver moved on. Well, more so feared it. He can't even bring himself to keep up with Starling City news, afraid that there'd be an article on Oliver having a new girlfriend. The simple thought of it made him sick. "Why?"