Believe (Olivarry AU) [Book 1]

vi. bunny

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them."
-Dalai Lama
________________________________

"MR. IRVING, WHY DID YOU NEVER
report your wife missing?" Oliver asked
from his spot on the couch in the Irving household.

"She went out of town 4 days ago. She wasn't going to be back for another 3." Preston Irving said, "Are you sure it was her?"

"She was wearing a necklace that was shaped like a bunny." Joe said, showing a picture of it to Preston.
"That's hers." Preston gasped, tears forming in his eyes, holding his hand over his mouth in shock, realizing that his wife is actually gone.

"Did Gwen have any enemies you can think of?" Joe asked.
"No, not that I know of. Everyone seemed to love her." Preston said, tears actually falling now.

"Daddy?" A little girl, who looked about 2 years old, came into the room, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Oliver and Joe turned when they saw her walk in, before she even said anything, and looked at her with sad eyes.

Preston dried his eyes as best as he could and walked up to his daughter to pick her up and said "Hey, bunny. How was your nap?"

She just laid her head up his shoulder with a 'hmph'.
"You sad, daddy?" She asked.

"Yeah, bunny. I am." Preston said, rubbing his daughter's back, "I'll be okay. We'll be okay." He said, seeming to try to reassure himself more than anyone.

"You go play. I'll be there in a few minutes. I need to go talk to these nice men over here." Preston said, setting his daughter down to let her walk away.

"Sorry about that." Preston said, sitting back down in his chair.
"It's fine. What's her name?" Oliver asked.
"Rachel." Preston said.

"She's adorable." Joe smiled softly. "I'm sorry to get back into this but we have to."
"I understand, please continue. I honestly want to get finished with this. I really need to go cry." Preston said to him, saying the last part quietly.

"I must ask, where was Gwen heading alone for a total of seven days?" Oliver asked.
"She goes to visit her parents in a city close to here. I can't remember the name, though. Anyway, every six or so months when she visits them, she can never get a cell connection. So, I didn't think anything of it when she didn't contact me." Preston said, playing with his hands, obviously out of frustration.

"Do you own a cat by chance?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah. His name is River, has dark fur." Preston said.

"Okay, call us if you remember anyone that could've possibly wanted to harm your wife in any way." Joe said, handing him a business card.
"Will do." Preston nodded.

"Thank you for your time." Oliver said, "And we are so very sorry of your loss."
Preston gave them a small smile that they knew was fake and forced. They knew he was in a lot of emotional pain.

~~~

"Is he really asleep right now?" Barry
asked Joe.
"Seems like it." Joe said from where he was sitting.

"Who's gonna wake him up?" Barry asked, looking over to where Oliver was passed out at his desk, with his head titled back, mouth slightly open, and his arms crossed.
"What's the point? We don't have anything to do at the moment." Joe said, flipping the page of his newspaper.

"I'm bored though." Barry said, "I don't have anyone to talk to."
"You do have me." Joe said, pointing to himself.

"I know I have you. It's just... you're pretty much my second dad and I don't feel like talking to you about.. stuff." Barry said, pausing as he talked every once in a while.

"Understandable."Joe shrugged, "If you wake him up and he starts complaining, you better take him away."
"Okay." Barry chuckled.

"Hey, Barr?" Joe asked suddenly.
"What's up, Joe?" Barry questioned.

"Aren't you two going out tonight?" Joe asked.
"How did you—" Barry started to ask, confused.
"I told him he should ask you." Joe said.

"So, you set me up with him?" Barry asked, but it came out more as a statement.
"I guess you could say that. It's just, he seemed a little hesitant at first since he just met you." Joe said, "What I'm trying to say is, be careful. I don't want to see either of you hurt."
"Okay, Joe." Barry nodded, sitting on Oliver desk, right beside where Oliver was
in the chair.

"Hey. Oliver." Barry said, nudging Oliver's shoulder lightly.
No response.
"Oliver.." Barry said, said dragging out the 'er' at the end, nudging him again.

"Hmm?" Oliver questioned, confused since he didn't remember falling asleep.
"Man, wake up." Barry said.

"Why?" Oliver groaned, stretching slightly.
"You're at work. You gotta be awake." Barry said, rolling his eyes.
"I don't wanna." Oliver said, annoyed.

"Barry." Joe scolded, overhearing Oliver's complaints.
"Okay, okay." Barry said, turning to look at Joe and putting his hands up in surrender, before slipping off the desk.

"Come on." Barry said, grabbing Oliver's hand to pull him up.
"To where?" Oliver asked, seeming to be more awake and standing now.
"It's lunchtime and I'm hungry. Wanna go eat?" Barry asked, still standing there holding onto Oliver's hand.

"I could eat." Oliver said, moving to walk, "Let's go." He smiled.

~~~

The two decided to go to Big Belly Burger, seeing as it was the favorite of both of them.

"So, tell me about yourself." Barry said before biting into a fry.

"Oh, um... well my mother is a businesswoman and my dad is a businessman. I've lived in Star City my whole life, so moving here was a big deal in more than one way." Oliver said, doing the same as Barry.

"In what other ways was moving a big deal?" Barry asked curiously.
"I felt so sheltered over there. My parents wouldn't even let me move out because 'we have a perfectly good bed for you here', talking about staying with them in that God awful mansion. I hated being there, honestly I still do." Oliver said, looking Barry in the eyes.

"Over-protective parents?" Barry questioned.
"Oh, most definitely." Oliver sighed in annoyance by just thinking about it.
"My parents are the same. Mine just seem a bit more chill than yours." Barry chuckled.

"Enough about me, tell me about you." Oliver said, smiling.
"Well, I've only ever lived in Central City. My dad is a doctor and my mom is a real estate agent." Barry shrugged, "That's about it."

"Oh, come on. That's not all there is to know about Barry Allen, I know it." Oliver said, drinking some of his soda.
"How would you know that, you don't even know me." Barry said, crossing his arms.
"Then let me get to know you." Oliver said.