Chapter Text
Barry Allen watched with dismay as the coffee in his to-go cup dripped onto the concrete steps leading into Tuttle Park. The cup itself was still clutched in his hand, but the surprise of walking into someone had made him involuntarily squeeze his hand, sending the hot liquid into the air before it fell onto the shoes of the person he had run into. Barry swallowed nervously before raising his eyes… right into Mick Rory's.
Barry and Mick had never actually met, but Barry knew his reputation. Everyone did. Mick Rory was just as likely to punch you as speak to you. Him and his best friends, Leonard Snart and Mark Mardon, had made a name for themselves, way back in middle school, as three of the most violent guys to cross. Barry knew all about bullies and had made a point of learning who each one at the college was, and made sure to avoid them as much as possible. So, of course he would literally run into one while alone in a dark park where there was little to no chance of help coming.
"Oh god, please don't kill me," he whispered.
The larger man frowned at Barry, which was weirdly not as intimidating as it seemed like it should be. "Too early to kill ya," Mick grumbled before yawning. "Ask again after I eat."
Barry's eyes widened as his sleep-addled brain tried to make sense of that. "Me?"
This time Mick's eyes widened in surprise, before filling with mischief. "That an invitation, Bear?"
Barry gasped like a fish out of water as the big guy chuckled and stepped around him. Then he jumped, feeling a large hand ghost over his stomach to his hip, as the university's most violent defensive tackle continued down the steps and disappeared into the gloomy morning fog.
After several seconds of shock Barry finally regained control of his body and hurried up the steps. Maybe cutting through the park to get to class wasn't the brightest idea. Barry managed to put the incident out of his head by the end of chemistry. It wasn't hard, since he and Rory rarely crossed paths at school. They didn't have any friends or classes in common. He just counted himself lucky not to get beat up and moved on. Barry assumed that, since they had managed to not meet in person in the 19 years previous, they would likely never meet again.
He was wrong.
* * *
Len Snart looked up as his best friend literally threw himself down on the sofa and sighed happily. "Are you okay?"
Mick Rory opened one eye and grinned at Len. "I talked to him, Len."
Len rolled his eyes. There was no need to ask who Mick meant. For almost four months the only person Mick had paid any attention to was Barry Allen. Len had spent hours listening to his buddy pine over the younger guy. At first Len had been surprised by Mick's obsession. He didn't usually go for the twink look. Mick had always liked them older, more experienced, so they understood it was a casual thing. Mick was never one for romance or getting attached. However, the moment Mick laid eyes on Allen, he lost all interest in any other guy.
"I take it the conversation went well," Len said, going back to his breakfast.
Mick chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. "Well, I was on my way back from dropping off Lisa's backpack and saw him cutting through the park. He wasn't watching where he was going, so I may have, um, bumped into him."
Len chuckled. "Did he piss himself?"
Mick shot him a glare. "No! He did ask me not to kill him though," he admitted. "I told him it was too early and to ask again after I ate. Know what he said?"
"I couldn't even begin to guess," Len said dryly.
Mick grinned and sat up. "He said 'me?' in that squeaky voice he sometimes gets. I asked if that was an invitation and he blushed."
Len snorted, knowing that was one of Mick's turn-ons when it came to Allen. He loved seeing the kid blush. "Sounds like the start of a storybook romance," Len quipped. "Better get moving if we're gonna make it to our class."
Mick nodded and led the way out of the apartment. He didn't mind Len's teasing. He finally got the chance to talk to Barry. And, okay, so maybe it wasn't some grand romantic, love-at-first-sight thing, but it was obvious Barry knew who he was. It was a start.
Mick wasn't going to waste this opportunity, either. He'd been trying for three months to figure out a way to meet Barry face-to-face. Other than just walking straight up to him and introducing himself, that is. Mick wasn't stupid. He knew his reputation (fairly earned, by the way) and also knew that just walking up to the younger guy was liable to scare him off. But bumping into one another when they were alone was a chance too good to pass up. No one was there to see if Barry freaked and run, or if Mick made a fool of himself.
No, this had worked out great. Barry knew who he was, probably wouldn't be scared of him the next time they met, and best of all, he had an actual reason to talk to Barry. He could apologize to Barry for knocking his coffee out of his hand and offer to buy him a new one. That was a bit like a date, right?
"Stop mooning," Len drawled as they headed into the lecture hall. "You're pitiful."
"Wait until you fall in love," Mick grumbled under his breath. "Don't think I won't be teasing you back."
Len snorted. "I don't do love. I do lust and tolerate. Anything else is a waste of time."
Mick took his seat and shrugged, dropping the familiar argument as the professor began writing on the board.