language of flowers stuff. such a sap, I know.

When Joe answered the door one Sunday afternoon, he found Oliver Queen standing at the front porch.

The detective thought nothing at first, as Barry was always at the Wests at weekends. And he did heard from his foster son that he and Queen hangs out at their free time, catching up on their night duties, or talking about the silly names their respective teams like giving their villains.

Though this time, there was something with the Star City vigilante that made Joe thought it wasn't a mere hanging out anymore.

Oliver Queen brought a bouquet of yellow flowers with him.

Joe raised an eyebrow when he noticed, but said nothing as he opened the door wider. Oliver nodded at him in greeting, and it wasn't long until Barry appeared on Joe's side, wearing a blinding grin directed to Queen.

Barry bid him farewell and said he would be back to his apartment by evening and that Joe didn't need to cook for extra. Oliver gave him nothing more but a curt, "Detective Joe" and another nod and then went on his way with Barry in tow.

Joe noticed there was no motorcycle parked at the front of the house, and at the rate Barry was walking, it seemed like they were planning on taking their time on wherever they were going.

Strolling, check.

Flowers, check.

Joe thought he might be reading too much into it, but he couldn't help the lingering feeling that Barry wasn't telling him something.

The following Sunday, it was once again Oliver Queen at his doorsteps.

Carrying with him the same type of flowers brought last time. But the current bouquet has a fancier arrangement and more abundant that made Joe's eyes saw only yellows for a few minutes.

Though before he could prop himself to lean against the doorway and cross his arms, a telltale sign that he'd like Oliver to spill what was going on, Barry showed up at his side, sporting a smile brighter than the sun.

And again, towards Queen.

Joe looked at his foster son and then at Oliver; then back again at Barry and to the other man. This went on for a while that Oliver turned to Barry questioningly, as if communicating silently with him.

"So, uh, Joe." Barry cleared his throat, earning the detective's attention. "We'll be going now?"

"Sure." He then smiled at Oliver, tight-lipped. "Queen."

As they walked down the street, Joe noted that they were walking an inch or two closer beside each other.

Now he knew he really had to ask.

"Barry is dating Oliver Queen?" came Iris's question incredulously. "Why am I only hearing this now?" She fumed; she was genuinely offended Barry hadn't told her anything about it.

Joe sighed. "As I said, I'm not sure. But what should I make out of this Sunday afternoon visits with Queen bringing flowers every single time, and Barry looking giddy when he sees the person? It's like Barry is to be taken on some romantic date. And don't get me wrong." He lifted his index finger, warning his daughter to let him finish. "I'd rather Queen take him on some place expensive since it means it's a public area and not somewhere shady and dark and God knows where."

When he finished, Iris was quirking her eyebrows together as if trying to fight back a laugh. "You do know you sound ridiculous, don't you? Barry is the Flash, he can take care of himself." She took one of his hands. "What exactly is the problem, Dad?"

"I don't know," Joe said honestly. "I mean, he can date whoever he wants."

"Whoever except Oliver Queen."

"Well, I still have qualms at that, but it's just that I wish Barr told us before Oliver shows up at the house with his bouquet of small yellow flowers."

Iris hummed in thought. "That's… new. I mean, you usually give roses to someone special." She dismissed it. "As much as I'm upset abut not knowing it too, I believe Barr has a reason for not telling us. By the looks of it, if he did ask you, I'm sure you'll disapprove of the Green Arrow."

"Don't get me started on how violent his way of bringing justice is."

"Exactly my point, Dad. Maybe you're the reason he's keeping it a secret. But, hey, at least Oliver Queen is brave enough to pick Barry up when you're around." She was reminded of Eddie, when her boyfriend had to use the excuse of getting Joe from the house on the way to station in order to see her.

Joe did see her point, albeit begrudgingly.

"He'll tell you when he thinks the moment is right." She pats his shoulder. "Or you can always just ask him, direct to the point. You're good at that." And she was correct.

He supposed he has an idea now to get answers from Barry himself.

He put off the question for a while to let Barry think he wasn't aware.

Though, really, Barry wasn't fooling anyone.

There was something different with Barry, in a positive way—he was on time with work (finally), finishes his tasks before due date, and more enthusiastic on the field.

Nothing escapes a detective's eyes so he knew he wasn't imagining Barry's extra bigger smiles. He was a sweet young man; he never failed to do so. But he was beaming at practically anybody now like the world was so beautiful and people were missing a lot of it.

Joe even caught a slight whiff of new cologne, and Barry appeared to be grooming himself better, from the hair to shoes.

To put it short, Barry was blooming.

And there was no other reason Joe could think of but Queen. He could say all he wanted, but he wouldn't deny that the billionaire has this effect on Barry that Joe commended.

Although the more he dwelled on them being together, the urge to ask Barry was getting stronger.

Until that patience snapped in an instant.

His foster son walked to his desk in the middle of lunch break with a bunch of white flowers at hand and asked for Joe's opinion on the arrangement since he did it on his own, nervously looking at Joe. The older man was anxious himself as he was the wrong person to ask and Barry could have chosen a better timing.

They were called Gardenia, Barry said. They were beautiful white floras, but at the back of his mind, Joe was judging him for the choice of color of the plant. It was the kind of white you see at funerals and graves. Though he kept that to himself; he figured Barry has a lot to learn still.

"You got allergic with all the flowers at your apartment?" was Joe's opening.

Barry looked at him quizzically. "What flowers at my apartment?"

Joe was unimpressed. "The yellow ones Queen brings a lot." He didn't see the younger man's expression as he busied himself with poking at the white petals. "You probably got allergic to them that you decided to be the one to get him some instead."

When Barry didn't answer, Joe finally looked up at him and found the young man staring at him, dumbfounded.

"You think those are for me?"

"Is it for anybody else?"

When he recovered from his surprise, Barry chuckled. "Actually, yes. They're for somebody else." He gestures at the white ones at the desk. "Even that too."

Joe didn't sense any lie on that, which made him even more confused. "So what exactly is going on with you two?"

"First, we're not dating," Barry assured him. Joe mentally noted the slight disappointment that accompanied it. "Second, we talked about visiting our parents' graves. I accompany him; he accompanies me. It helps in lessening the feeling of guilt for their deaths. They yellow acacias he brings were mom's favorite." He gave him a wan smile. "You know, he talks to mom and dad as if they're just there. I thought I was the only one doing that. So I return the favor by doing that too with his parents, even if I don't know them, and bring his mother gardenia because he remembered that was her favorite. Sometimes, we also drop by Laurel's. She's the freshest memory therefore he's taking baby steps. But I'm confident that he'll get there." He said the last one with pride.

"I'm grateful to have him as a friend, Joe." When Barry put it that way in his usual honest manner, Joe wasn't sure whether to be glad that he was wrong after all, or felt bad for Barry that his relationship with Queen would only stay in a platonic state.

Joe felt guilty for putting the damper on the speedster's mood as the latter left with mild gloom.

Much to Joe's surprise, Oliver Queen was at his door in a Saturday morning, around the hour where Barry was still asleep like a baby.

"You're early," the detective said to him. He set himself aside to allow the guest to come in. "Can you wait for a sec? I'll wake Barry first."

"Actually, detective, it's you I wanted to talk to," Oliver told the older man as he allowed himself in.

Joe frowned and his eyes caught the flowers Oliver brought.

They weren't the usual small yellow ones—the bouquet has the richest of red roses surrounded by a few baby blue ones, all in full bloom. There were also a few yellow ones thrown in to complete the set.

Joe wasn't a learned man when it comes to language of flowers but it was clear that Queen meant to say something.

"Barry told me you thought we're seeing each other. We're not." Oliver exhaled and looked at the other straight in the eye. "And I'm here to remedy that."

Joe's face remained passive.

"I want to ask for your permission to court your son," he continued in the most serious expression he could muster.

"Barry is a consenting adult." Joe crossed his arms, standing straighter. "Why ask for my permission when you can do that without my knowledge? Iris and Eddie managed that."

"With all due respect, you're the only father he has left. You're Barry's family. And I know that you never approve of me, even of his friendship to me. But I don't want to be rude by going behind your back." He paused, fixing his jaw. "I don't have the best reputation either, but you have to take my word when I say that Barry is worth more than the risk of your additional dislike."

The detective regarded the vigilante, gauging any hidden agenda for his son, but all Joe could see was Oliver Queen and his sincere boldness in facing him. If he were to be honest, he was impressed with him—not for being brave and declaring his feelings for Barry to none other than Joe—but because despite the life he was leading, he was willing to let Barry to his deepest self, not above recognizing that for all their duties in their respective cities they also deserved some happiness for themselves.

Joe was relieved to know Barry's own feelings were not unreturned.

The older man kept silent as he placed a heavy hand on Queen's shoulder and squeezed it.

"I don't have anything against you pursuing my son. But if you ever hurt him in any way, know that I'm a detective who can shoot a gun with accuracy like yours when you fire those arrows." It was Joe's last piece of advice to Oliver which the latter took appreciatively.

He then went upstairs to get Barry who was apparently awake. When he told him of a visitor, the speedster immediately fixed himself to get down.

Joe took his time to descend and caught bits of heartfelt confessions exchanged. He smiled to himself and decided to go straight out of the house to pay Iris a visit.

By the looks of it, Barry and Oliver have a lot of catching up to do.

THE END

yellow acacia - friendship/secret love
gardenia - you're lovely: secret love

eh, thanks again for reading