Title: late hour
Fandom: The Flash/Arrow
Rating: PG
Length: 300
Content notes: References to canon events, psychologically traumatized characters.
Author notes: For fan-flashworks for the Hands challenge.
Summary: Barry wakes up after a nightmare. Hurt/comfort.



Barry woke up sweating, gasping for air. He sat up and tried not to make a sound.

He dreamt of Zoom. Again.

A hand, then, sliding up his stomach and resting on his chest, pulling lightly, inviting Barry to lie back down.

“Sorry,” Barry whispered, “Didn’t mean to wake you.” Their faces were close to each other, close enough to feel the other man’s breath when they spoke.

Oliver gave him a little smile. “Woke up as soon as your heartbeat starting racing in your sleep,” he admitted.

This meant something to Oliver, Barry knew: to admit that he hadn’t slept soundly, that he hadn’t slept for more than a few minutes at a time, in years.

Barry looked at Oliver’s face for a moment. He was only a few years older than Barry, but there were lines in his face, etches of worry. His eyelashes were pretty, though, and his face was somehow boyish.

“I know it’s not easy,” Oliver added. An offer to listen, one that Barry could take or leave.

“It’s not just the fear,” Barry said finally. “How do you move on after you’ve… failed?”

Oliver grimaced, ran his hand lightly over Barry’s jaw, thumb pressing softly on Barry’s lower lip. “I haven’t figured that out yet,” he answered, voice cracking.

Barry nodded. He wanted to ask why, wanted to ask what failures still haunted Oliver, but sometimes with Oliver a question was like a knife, and Barry didn’t want to hurt him.

“Well, since we’re both awake, you feel like a snack?” Barry said, mostly to change the subject.

Oliver smiled. “Let’s go sit in the kitchen. I’ll make you a sandwich.”

“I can make it faster,” Barry said as they sat up.

Oliver put a hand on Barry’s hip. “Yeah. But I like making it for you.”