"How do you know Oliver Queen, again?" Iris queried, taking a small sip of the campange in the glass she held in her hand. Barry hadn't mentioned to Iris how he met Oliver; not when he brought the Christmas present a week ago.

"I have helped him with a few things in Staling City." Barry knew it wasn't wise to tell his best friend about why he was in Starling City, that he had lied to the rich man about be in the CIA to help with a case. He had done all he could, but that didn't mean Oliver wasn't happy about being lied to. Barry's kind nature and great smile had somehow swayed Oliver, the young man's face haunting him for the nine months he had been in the coma.

"And when were you going to tell me?" Barry now took a sip, one that may have been a little too much. Barry didn't drink alcohol too much.

"I dunno." Both looked to the grant stairwell when the room fell quiet, one queue to the arrival of Oliver and his sister Thea. Thea was smiling brilliantly, whereas Oliver held his lips in a flat line. Not smiling nor a frown on his face. Like he was looking to get about of the gathering he had organised for the New Year celebration before 2015 was being rung in.

"Well, I don't know about you, Barry." Iris took another sip of her drink before she set it down on the table when she stood from her chair. "But I feel like dancing. C'mon."

Barry grabbed his friend's hand, Iris leading the way into the crowd of people slow dancing to the orchestra playing. Had they been standing by the stairwell the entire time and Barry just never noticed? The pair danced for several minutes, Barry not noticing much in the room. Iris was looking at one of the tables; where sat Thea, Roy, Feleicity and Oliver. His eyes were trained directly on Iris and Barry. Or, maybe just one of them?

"Barry," Iris whispered to her friend, waking him from any thoughts floating in his brain. "Oliver Queen is staring at us."

His head moved upwards slowly, easily unobstructed by the much shorter Iris standing in his arms. In his view, Oliver sat in his seat, a glass of red wine sitting on the table in front of his hand; his gaze clearly on his friend in Barry, the left corner of his lip turning upward. Barry hadn't noticed he had stopped moving until Iris had accidentally stepped on his toes; Barry nearly yelled out in pain, only stopping when he remembered where he was.

"Iris!" He whispered sharply to his friend. She actually giggled and covered her mouth with her hand quickly.

"Sorry," Barry could help but crack a smile. Yes, he never could stay mad at his friend. "But I think Oliver is up now."

A glance in the direction of the table Oliver had been at proved that. Oliver had left his seat; startling Barry when he cleared his throat beside the pair.

"Geez, don't do that!" Barry supposed it was the night for him to be frustrated about anything, Iris stepping on his toe, Oliver startling him. What was next, wine being split-

Yeah, now wine was staining his white shirt. Oliver had accidentally been pushed and the glass in his hand moved forward, spilling all over the suit Barry was wearing

"Uh," Iris was trying to not laugh as Oliver had actually looked nervous. "I am so sorry, Barry!" Barry groaned as he looked at the result. He hated wearing suits, just because of the possibility of what had happen had occurred.

"Barry, you really should get cleaned up." Iris suggested. But Barry could run back to Central City if he wanted to. That woul make Iris suspicious though.

"I have some clothes upstairs that should fit you," Oliver touched Barry's back lightly. "Come on, kid."

The two began to walk up the stairs, Oliver nodding to his sister once before he continued walking with his friend. The upstairs floor was like a huge maze, that Barry would have easily been lost in. He hadn't forgotten how big the place was when he went over for Christmas, but he really took in the size of the mansion when walking with Oliver.

"This place is huge!" Oliver glanced over his shoulder.

"I remember I used to get lost in here a lot," he laughed and stopped in front of a door. "I still do if I get distracted."

"Good thing you weren't distracted now," Barry quipped. Maybe it seemed more like some kind of flirting to anyone else.

"Yeah, there's some things that get to me." The door stayed open for Barry, as he paused with wide eyes before entering. Oliver had just... Well, flirted right back with him.

Oliver laid out some clothes for Barry. They were once again in Barry's main bedroom, and a smile appeared on Oliver's face when Barry was changing. Both were thinking about a few days before back to Christmas when they had exchanged gifts.

"They fit alright?" The door to the bedroom opened, revealing Barry in a white button up shirt, in a better quality than the one he had been wearing, and black suit pants. He didn't want to put the coat over the shirt. "You look better than I have in that shirt."

A blush spread across Barry's cheeks, the heat making him feel worse about the situation. What to do?

"I don't think I could look any better than you." Oliver removed his coat, and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his white shirt. One of his many scars showed on then space of the bare area of chest.

"You look like you wanted an excuse to get out of the party." It wasn't a question Barry asked, he knew of certain the answer was 'Yes'. Oliver nodded as he sat on th same couch he sat in several days before with Barry. Barry took the same seat he had, right beside his friend.

"That, and it gave you a reason to swing by." Barry stared at Oliver.

"Dude!" Never had he said that word to his friend. "Why have we been, you know, flirting?"

The question startled Oliver, he never knew the kind shinning light know as Barry to be bold. Now the younger man stayed quiet after his querey; patient for any kind of answer it seemed.

"Do you not like it." Mentally, Oliver had punched himself in the face, flinching when he saw Barry now face him fully. Oliver didn't feel the sting of a slap when his eyes closed.

"Well," Barry started, his face a deep pink from embarrassment. "I do kind of like it, a lot actually."

Once again, the shock of no slap stunned Oliver. The uplifting words hadn't been expected in the rational part of Oliver's brain; however hoped for in the illogical and emotionally vaulnerable part of him.

The he gears started turning in Oliver's brain, only just beginning to process what had been said, when something pressed to his lips. Why did Barry have to kiss him? More importantly, why was Oliver kissing back, eyes widened in shock. He relaxed at seeing Barry's face, eyes softly shut, fluttering every now and then, most of the blush had all but gone, leaving a pinkish hue to Barry's cheeks. Oliver's eyes closed, moving a finger across Barry jaw line and the other hand going from Barry's cheek to the back of his head.

"Your lips are soft," Oliver remarked upon moving apart. Barry's lips had been softer than any woman's lips he kissed; strange.

"Yours are as rough as I thought they'd be." Barry smiled. "I love them like that."

"Should we go back down?" Barry tried to distance his face, only to have Oliver kiss him.

"No," he mumbled against Barry's lips. "Stay here for the night."

Any intellictual thoughts Oliver had had, slipped from his mind. Time to spend the night with someone he cared for.

A.N I reallyliked this. Yes, I am several days late with the pairing one shot, but it's still cute. I hope you all enjoyed and hopefully my writing will get back on track soon.