I've Got Soul but I'm Not a Soldier

What's in a Name

Barry shakes his head. "Oh my God. The world is ending. Dogs and cats living together, criminals and detectives getting along..."

"Villains and heroes living together," Len comments offhandedly.

"Mass hysteria," Barry finishes with a smile, before he pauses like something's only just then dawned on him. "Huh. We are living together, aren't we?"

Len pauses. He didn't mean to imply... if they aren't...

"I like that," Barry says happily. "I'll bring more things over."

"I was thinking of moving somewhere else," Len says, deciding now is as good a time as any to bring it up. The kid's eyes widen. "Not out of the city, kid, calm down. Just – somewhere else. Somewhere bigger."

"Can you do that?" Barry asks, and then frowns. "Wait – how did you even get this house? Did you steal it?"

Len scowls. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't steal everything, kid. I do have my own money, and a bank account."

"Leonard Snart has a bank account?"

"No," he says truthfully. "But Leonard Allen does."

Barry stops. It's like he's frozen in time for a moment. He blinks slowly, mouth falling open in that adorable, fishy way of his. And then he's just gaping, and it would be funny if Len wasn't incredibly nervous right now. It's the first time he's mentioned it.

"Allen?" Barry murmurs. "Like...?"

"Like Barry Allen, yes," Len replies with a nod. "Leonard Snart's records might have been wiped but he can't just go out and get a bank account, or buy property. I've been using an alias for a while, and since we're getting married in December... it just seemed like a good idea to use Leonard Allen." He takes in a slow breath, realizing he's rambling somewhat. "But if that's a problem, I can change it to something else."

He'll have to change banks. Withdraw everything from that bank, like he did before when he changed his name to Leonard Allen, but that's okay, if it's what Barry wants.

Barry just continues to stare at him. "You want to take my last name?"

Len shrugs. "I can't offer you much with my last name, Scarlet."

"So you want to be Leonard Allen?"

"Yes," he says quietly, watching the kid and the way green eyes soften.

Barry smiles and steps toward him again. "Well then, welcome to the world, Len Allen."

And then warm arms are around him again, and pliable lips are against his own, and he knows this is home.

xXx

Barry's excited to look at new places to live. They look a few up online while Len tells him about his paperwork, and how at the wedding he will go by Leonard Caldwell, which is derived from Old English and means, very loosely, 'cold spring'. Len thought it was amusing. Barry snorts at his explanation.

And then after the wedding he will go by Leonard Allen. At his bank he is already Leonard Allen, but for a more thorough background check he has attempted to make files detailing him as Leonard Caldwell.

Barry says he can see if Felicity will help, since she's a hacker and can probably help Leonard Caldwell come into existence, but then that means letting 'them' know he's with a criminal and it's a conversation he's not looking forward to. Len doesn't know who Felicity is, or who this 'them' is.

"Uh – Felicity Smoak?" Barry tries, and Len shakes his head because the name is unfamiliar to him. "Wow – have I really not spoken about her?"

Len's eyes narrow. "Who is she?"