Leata's Place

Hot Chocolate and Kisses in the Dark

“You even got the little marshmallows," Snart said, blowing on his mug. "I'm impressed."

"Well we knew you were coming this time," Iris snarked as she took a seat across from him on their sofa.

"How long are you going to be in town?" Barry asked, not hiding his excitement at having the man in their apartment. His eyes flickered up to Iris, smirking at her as she sat down beside him. "Sara didn't say."

Len shrugged minutely. "Long enough for a few visits, give a few… warnings." He blew once more before taking a small sip from the steaming mug of hot coco. "Make sure folks still remember who runs this city."

"Snart," Iris frowned, head tilting at him trying to placate but finding her own voice all too fond.

"You're supposed to be turning over a new leaf."

"Just because I turned it over doesn't mean I'm a new leaf," he reasoned with a sly smile. "Leaves don't just forget who they've been or which trees have tried to shake them loose." He settled more into his chair as he continued to sip on the homemade coco. "Besides, Central City does better when Captain Cold's around."

"Is that so?" Barry grinned as Iris laughed. "Thought that was the Flash."

Iris smiled, taking her eyes off Leonard for the first time since he'd sat down in their home to glance at Barry. "It might be better for Central City and the Flash if Mardon saw that Cold was still around," she admitted.

"Question is if you would be," he asked, voice smooth and low.

Iris' eyes flashed back to Len at the question. She swallowed, not breaking eye contact with smirking blue. Barry looked between them, clearly hopeful. They had talked about it, how much they had enjoyed what was supposed to be a one time thing that had turned into three or four and how something had felt off balance with them ever since. That the loss of Leonard in their lives had only grown into a chasm the further away in time the man went with the Legends. They didn't want it to be a one off anymore, something the older man could run from and brush off and when they had seen him at Crisis they were sure he wanted more as well.

Barry squeezed her knee, the touch was meant to be reassuring, giving her an out if she had changed her mind. However, she didn't look at him, not wanting the out as blue stared into brown with the questions of being allowed to want this — being allowed to want them.

"I think I, both of us really, would be much better," she answered after a moment. Her eyes roved the space between them and Leonard. "Why not come sit with us and see how much we've been waiting for you," she offered with a smile, looking at his carefully coy expression.

Barry smiled beside her shifting further down the sofa. "Come sit with us, Lenny." His hand patted on the spot he had made between them. "We missed you."

"Don't call me that," Len said, putting his mug down on the coffee table before pushing himself from the chair.

"Oh, please you like it," Iris teased, "Lenny," she added, drawing out the name as he made his way to them.

He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding when he sat down in the place made for him. His eyes darted between their taunting and adoring grins. The idea of someone coming after either of them to collect vengeance on Captain Cold suddenly hitting him.

"No one can find out about this," he pressed, raising a finger to make his point.

Iris hummed. "Fine," she agreed, moving closer to him as Barry mirrored her movements. "For now."

"For now," Barry repeated sternly, hand cupping his chin and turning Leonard's head gently towards him. "No one has to know how much you mean to us, Lenny," he breathed, against his lips before closing the distance between them.

Iris released an approving hum, teeth catching on her bottom lip as she watched the two. She sighed, happy to see Len slowly relaxing at the tender exchange as he returned the slow kiss.

"We won't ruin your reputation, Lenny," she half teased, her hands moving to feel over his chest through his sweater while trailing kisses from his collar toward his neck.

Leonard hummed into the slow kiss that felt like home as he wrapped an arm around Iris needing her closer. She came easily, letting him guide her into his side and half onto his lap. He only partly surprised at how much he had missed the feeling of the two of them so close and curled against him.

Barry smiled into his kiss, raking his fingers over his scalp and sliding his tongue past his lips. The man moving closer to them both in the cool dark air of the apartment. A groan left him unbidden, relaxing back into the cushions, having forgotten what it felt like to be truly missed and welcomed. The superhero hummed against his lips, pulling back slowly only for Iris to guide older man to her, needing to feel him whole and well just as much as Barry did.

Maybe he could ask Sara for a few more days in Central, he mused as Iris' lips pressed to his and her tongue eagerly searched out his.

"Welcome home," Barry whispered against his skin, kissing along his jawline.

Wasn't that something?

To be home with them and to feel it. To truly believe it to be true. To feel it ache and echo through their kisses, through their every touch, through his very core.