AN: not a tie-in with "They're Just Being Affectionate, Right?"
Facts are in non-chronological order.
1. Kara has an Instagram account for Supergirl.
"Did... did you just take a picture of me?"
"Mhm! And I'm posting it on Instagram!"
"What?"
"Yeah, the new one. The one I made for Supergirl... Hang on, uh... Hashtag sexy, hashtag mine."
"You. Just took a picture of me. With my bow. And my mask off."
"Oooh, ten likes straight off the bat!"
"With my mask off!"
"Oh calm down, Ollie. It's private. Only our friends who know can see it."
"Don't encourage her, Barry—Did you just take a picture of me too?"
"Hashtag man crush Monday."
"Aww, you have a crush on him?"
"I'm breaking up with the both of you."
"No you're not."
2. Oliver is the best cook out of the three of them.
Having spent five years on a deserted island can do that to you. He knew how to make any meal look and taste amazing, and it was one of the things Barry and Kara loved about him.
No matter how many dishes he cooked up for the two, however, it would never be enough because one's a metahuman with an exponentially high metabolism and another one's an alien who probably has a blackhole for a stomach.
Barry was the second best, almost rivaling Oliver's abilities. If anything, Kara actually preferred Barry's breakfast over Oliver's, but she'd take Oliver's dinners over Barry's any day.
Kara wasn't really allowed to cook anymore, not after she tried to surprise the two with breakfast and ended up burning the waffles...
... and about ten percent of Barry's kitchen.
3. Barry has an obsession with the song, "Rewrite the Stars" from the movie The Greatest Showman.
On a Friday in January 2018, it had been Kara's turn to take them out for date night. For the past few months, Kara had been hearing about this movie starring Hugh Jackman (Ryan Gosling on her Earth) called The Greatest Showman.
It was an added perk that it was a musical, too.
Barry instantly became obsessed with the song Rewrite the Stars, completely mesmerized by the trapeze act sequence performed by the star-crossed lovers. Kara, too, liked the song, but not to Barry's extent.
It was still an effective way to cheer Barry up: either Kara or Oliver would sing the opening lines to the song and that was all it took before Barry joined in.
(All these musicals were starting to grow on Oliver).
4. Kara has a cat with the same powers as her.
No one, not even the D.E.O. knew where the cat came from or how it had the same abilities as Kara.
It was cute though, ginger and little.
Oliver had had enough one day and proclaimed that Kara's-Still-Unnamed-Cat will then be called Streaky because she didn't use the litter box.
(Barry loved having races with Streaky).
5. When they fight, it's almost always Oliver who caves first.
Their relationship had been built upon a foundation of fear, so much fear of so many things: that they liked the other two too much to lose them, that the others would realize they didn't like them, that this was all a joke, that they would never be good enough...
So they all sort of fell into this habit of pleasing the others, comfort aside. It took them a gradual couple of months to let it sink in that, yeah, they really liked each other to the point it was scary because it was starting to feel like love; that above all else, they were going to trust each other and have each other's backs.
When they eventually got past the sort-of-honeymoon-stage, they learned just how hard relationships were, let alone one with three people involved.
They were all opposites, one way or another.
Oliver was the prime example of someone who didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, the one who seemed like he didn't give a crap about anyone or anything, when in actuality, he was the one who felt much more deeply compared to the other two, the one who hurt more easily, the one who just learned to cover it all up by masquerading a rugged exterior that toughened through time and experience.
Kara, on the other hand, had been known to be the personification of sunshine, due to the warmth of her personality and infectious cheerfulness. She babbled, she skipped and she smiled as often as she could, despite the pain of losing her parents and her family and her entire planet. She was so good that she had fooled Oliver and Barry multiple times, but they were learning quick.
Barry was a sort of mix of the two. He rambled like Kara, he could brood like Oliver, but the difference between him and them is that he can't cover up his emotions. If he was mad, he was furious. If he was unhappy, he was miserable. Anyone who knew Barry well enough could see right through him when he was lying about what he was feeling. He knew a thing or two about loss, guilt and failure. He'd danced that tango long enough to know the steps.
This caused all sorts of problems, from Barry thinking Oliver was slowly abandoning him when all Oliver was doing was giving him space after a rather bad panic attack on Barry's part, to Kara bursting into tears when Barry kept asking who she'd save if the two were in trouble and could only save one.
And a lot of these problems led to a lot of fighting.
It usually resulted in to Barry running away as far as he could to clear his head, Kara flying around town, or Oliver giving the most brutal cold shoulder treatment.
But the ignoring could only last for so long, five hours at the most.
Ninety percent of the time, it was Barry or Kara who picked up Oliver's call, asking them to come home.
They never went to bed angry, ending their day holding on tight to each other.
6. J'onn once read Barry's mind.
Barry Allen was the fastest man alive, and that wasn't limited to his running.
He could read the entire Chronicles of Narnia in under two minutes (maybe less if he really wanted to), he could survey a crime scene in a minute and could sweep out all the evidence in less than that.
So naturally, it wouldn't be too odd to find out that Barry thought just as quickly as he ran.
J'onn tried to read his mind once, just so he could know if he ever planned on hurting Kara or if he really loved her. Keyword: tried.
The Martian could hear Barry's mind just fine; his words were just completely nonsensical to him because it was sped up probably a million times.
He did get a quick image of Kara and Oliver…
… getting out of the bedroom…
… without a strip of clothing…
J'onn never tried to read Barry's mind again.
7. Video games are now banned in their apartments because of Kara.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, QUEEN?"
"You'll never find—what?"
"HA! EAT YOUR WORDS, MOTHER—"
"Kara! Stop breaking the controllers! That's the fifth one this week!"
"You're not even losing! Why do you keep breaking them?!"
8. Oliver doesn't mind waking up to an empty bed.
Between Kara singing beautifully in the shower and Barry cooking up delicious breakfast, what was there to dislike?
...
He didn't mind, but he would still prefer waking up to Kara's angelic face and Barry's light snores.
9. Barry can play the ukulele.
Barry had known how to play when his mom was still around, always performing Can't Help Falling in Love for her whenever she asks for it. He stopped playing when he moved in with the Wests, but eventually picked it up again after leaving for college just for the heck of it.
Now, he mostly put his talent to good use by singing to Kara or Oliver or both at any opportune time.
His favorite song to perform was Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Coincidentally, it was Kara's favorite and Oliver's too.
10. The best present Kara's ever gotten was for her birthday.
In February 2017, it'd just been barely two months of figuring things out in their relationship. All three of them agreed early on in their relationship not to give each other physical, store-bought gifts ("No, Barry. No stuff bought online either") and would rather enjoy their company above most.
So when February 14 was just right around the corner (of course Kara's birthday just happened to be on Valentine's day), Oliver and Barry were slightly panicking over what they were going to give Kara. When Barry had been so close to go back on their promise and get her a physical present or, worse yet, just get Kara an absurd amount of doughnuts, ice cream and potstickers, Oliver walked into his apartment ("When the hell did you get here in Central City and why didn't you call?" "What, we can't surprise each other with spontaneous visits?" "See, I can get to Star City in less than a minute; you need hours.") with a wicked grin, a glint in his eye and... a ukulele at hand?
On the actual day around lunch break, Barry and Oliver both travel to Earth-38, suit-clad and ready to surprise Kara at her workplace (well, they opened a breach at her apartment and Barry carried Oliver, running to an empty alley near CatCo).
"Oh my god, what are you guys doing here— oh."
Oliver smirked and Barry laughed good-naturedly at her realization. Winn gave her a wink as he handed Barry a ukulele before backtracking, retrieving his phone from his back pocket as a favor from the two.
Oliver guided Kara back to her chair as Barry began softly strumming the instrument. Kara's eyes widened when it was Oliver that started singing.
When a man's an empty kettle
He should be on his mettle
And yet I'm torn apart
Just because I'm presumin'
That I could be kinda human
If I only had a heart
Kara's eyes looked on at Oliver whilst he sang, unable to tear her eyes away; her eyes were filled with so much love for these two men. But eventually, she did have to look away from him when Barry started singing.
I'd be tender, I'd be gentle
And awful sentimental
Regarding love and art
I'd be friends with the sparrows
And the boy that shoots the arrows
If I only had a heart
Kara giggled a little, hiccuping as she forced the tears back down, when Barry jerked his head towards Oliver when he sang the line about the boy shooting arrows. Her heart did a sort of backflip when the boys delivered the last verse together in perfect harmony.
Just to register emotion, jealousy, devotion
And really feel the part
I could stay young and chipper
And I'd lock it with a zipper...
If I only had a heart
Kara didn't get up until Barry finished strumming. She couldn't speak. Okay, actually, she wasspeaking, but it was an incoherent group of words that didn't form sentences. "Thank you," "oh Rao," "I love you," "best," came up a lot, though. Barry smiled back, bashful, as he reached for something in his pocket. Oliver was the first recipient to Kara's cheek kiss (nope, no PDA in her workplace, thank you). Shortly after Kara gave Barry his kiss, he gave her a folded piece of paper. She took it and, once opened, was greeted to their recognizable handwriting:
If we only had our hearts,
but you stole them.
Please keep them forever and ever.
Happy Earth birthday to our amazing girl
and happy Valentine's day.
We love you.
-BA & OQ
Winn ended the video just right after Kara let herself finally cry and threw her arms around the two. He sent it to Alex, attaching a message asking how to send videos to another universe.
11. Out of the three of them, Oliver is the one who cuddles the most.
Kara thought she was going to be the cuddly octopus, but as it turned out, she wasn't because Oliver Queen could not keep his arms away from them.
"Uh, Kara?"
"This is our life now, Barry. Don't fight it."
"Who said I am?"
(There were still moments where Oliver believed this wasn't real; holding them close to his body was solid proof that it was).
12. Barry gives the most pick up lines.
"Hey, babe, wanna keep your arrow safe in my quiver?
#
"You see this suit? Know what it's made of? Boyfriend material."
#
"Are you sure telepathy isn't one of your powers? 'Cause I can't get you out of my head."
#
"Are you a tower? 'Cause Eiffel for you!"
#
"You don't need to be a villain to get me down on my knees."
#
"Wow you're hot."
"Oh no, sorry I'm taken."
"That's unfortunate. Girlfriend?"
"Yes. But wait there's more!
#
From their booth, Oliver slapped his palm against his face while Kara just laughed.
(They both loved it.)
13. Kara yells on three separate occasions.
The first time it happened, she thought Barry had died.
The second time it happened, she thought Oliver had died.
The third time it happened, Streaky peed on her skirt and stole her potsticker.
14. Oliver breaks his no-killing vow on two separate occasions.
Barry had been stabbed in the chest and one of his legs was frozen. Barry couldn't run away from this. This was it then; this was where he was going to die: in front of a weakened Kara, who was strapped down to a chair as red sunlight drained her of her powers and invulnerability; in front of Oliver, all bloody and bruised yet still so handsome as he struggled to break free from the chains. His strength was slowly leaving him. He couldn't hold on. His eyes closed and he fell backward; the last thing he heard was Kara's piercing scream.
"How does it feel, Oliver?" asked the mercenary who claimed Oliver ruined his life. "How does it feel to have two of the most important people in your life dying right in front of you?" The psychopath laughed, kicking Barry's side. "Or well, dead."
Oliver was beyond enraged; it was an unnatural and consuming anger that took over his whole being, and it should scare him—
Kara was shrieking for Barry to be alive, begging Rao for Barry to be alive. She was asking for Oliver. She sounded so broken that it sounded so utterly out of place.
—but it didn't. Oliver looked straight at the insane man and said precisely, "You're dead."
The psycho started to laugh, but stopped when he heard the telltale sound of a chain snapping. He looked over at Oliver... or rather, where he was.
He was dead a minute later.
#
Kara had been fighting with her deranged aunt (who was supposed to be dead!) when she punched Kara in the face, making her cry out.
It wasn't two seconds later that Oliver put a kryptonite arrow through her chest.
15. Barry broke up with them once.
Hell was ready to take Central City by the horns. Okay, not hell, but the Speed Force.
"I have to stabilize it."
Iris looked at her brother, hope flying into her chest. "How?"
Barry gave back a sorrowful expression. "By running into it."
And just like that, the hope wilted into something black and gross, and she didn't want it anymore. Not really knowing what she was doing, she grabbed the front of his shirt as her hand balled into a fist. "You can't. Barry, you'll be trapped in there forever!"
Barry placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked into his sister's eyes and wow this is probably the last time I'm going to see my best friend. "If I don't go, the whole city—maybe even the entire planet—could be destroyed."
No, she couldn't accept this. She'd already lost him once in those grueling nine months. She'd lost Wally to the Speed Force for days. She could not lose either one of them again. "Cisco!" But the young engineer's doubtful look was already answer enough as she pleaded with him and his genius that there had to be another way. "Barry... You can't."
"I have to, Iris."
"What about me? What about Dad and Wally and me? Barry, we're your family!"
"Iris—"
"And what about Oliver and Kara, huh? You're just going to leave them?"
Barry winced, as if Iris had physically slapped him. He stepped closer to Iris and grabbed one of her hands. "Tell them I'm sorry. They deserve better than me anyway." And they did. They really did. God, he'd been so stupid. Had he realized his stupid feelings for them sooner, Flashpoint wouldn't have had happened.
This was his redemption.
"Wally and Jay said they were in hell."
Barry's lips curled upwards, but it wasn't a smile. "Wherever I'm going, without them, it'll be hell anyway."
#
When he came back three thousand five hundred seventy two years later, he learned he'd been gone six months.
He cried and started to say some things but he didn't know what he was saying.
He later learned he kept saying, "Kara and Ollie are still alive."
#
Kara and Oliver were more relieved than angry.
(But man, were they angry.)
16. Kara is the most fearful about their relationship.
It was more like a back-of-the-mind thing that it wasn't dominating her thoughts.
That was until she had been exposed to silver kryptonite. It was then where Oliver and Barry realized just how much pain she was in, how much she believed she didn't deserve them both—much less one—due to the universe's constant reminder to her that she was meant to be alone.
She could lose them in so many ways: death, disappearance, kidnapping... desertion.
It wasn't until all traces of the kryptonite had been drained from her system that they had a long talk.
From then on, in bed, Kara was almost always in the middle, wrapped under protective arms and sincere "I love you's."
(Oliver didn't mind one bit that she stole his spot.)
17. Oliver's son really loves his Uncle B and Auntie K.
Uncle Barry was the Flash, Auntie Kara was an alien superhero who could shoot lasers from her eyes, and Dad was the Green Arrow.
Not only that, but Uncle Bar took him to places (places like S.T.A.R. Labs, Disney World, Vermont, Earth-38!), and he did it all with a smile. He didn't look at William like he was some kid he needed to impress for his dad, and for that, William always had a ton of fun.
Auntie Kara liked taking him to restaurants to try out bizarre food, she played video games with him (she loved Halo, and actually broke two of his XBOX controllers), and—even though he was already ten—he really liked it when Auntie Kara read to him. Sure, call him a baby, but whenever she read a chapter in whatever book and she made specific voices for characters, it kinda reminded him of times with his mother.
His mother...
He lost her.
But then he got his Dad.
And with him came Uncle B and Auntie K.
And they had super powers.
He didn't tell them, but he was glad Dad fell in love with superheroes. That meant they could survive an explosion and tell him all about how they were able to come back to him.
18. Barry is really afraid of storms.
The first time it happened, Kara got the blankets, Oliver got the DVDs, and they watched a wide array of Gene Kelly movies the whole night.
The second time it happened, Oliver came back with special earplugs made by Harry and Cisco that blocked out the sound of thunder.
The third time it happened, Barry wasn't really afraid anymore—the earplugs helped a lot—but he kinda liked being coddled by Oliver and Kara so he didn't say anything.
19. Out of the three of them, Barry brags the most.
He was with the Green Arrow and Supergirl, the two coolest people in the whole multiverse!
He was going to gloat to his grave.
20. Each loved one of the three gave the other two the shovel talk.
Barry was terrified of Alex the most.
Kara was a bit unnerved by Thea, who had access to kryptonite, and Iris, whose glare itself was kryptonite.
Oliver was never going to meet Kara's cousin again.
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Bonus: Kara, Barry and Oliver are actually already married.
To be more specific, they're married in three different Earths.
On Earth-1, Oliver and Barry are married.
On Earth-38, Barry and Kara are married.
On Earth-3, Oliver and Kara are married.
In Earth-2, they all married each other.
AN: I got the idea of the song when I watched this cover of If I Only Had a Heart on Youtube by ArcadianWalnut and it's just this cute little acoustic version and I love it and it's so pure and bless the singer's soul. She did use a guitar, however, not a ukulele.
MORE KARIVARRY TO COME!
Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a review.