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[KF thinks he should probably point out that he gets hurt all the time -and it's usually his own fault- but...nah. Not important. Plus um FUNNEL CAKES. Hopefully Dick thinks someone shoving food into their mouth with absolutely no table manners is also cool, because that's what he's doing right now.]

Holy crap, this is so good. It's really okay if we just eat these, seriously? [KF sucks sugar off his gloved fingers.]

[ Dick tries not to stare at Kid Flash's fingers, but — w-wow, he's really just going for it. The back of his neck prickles, and Dick laughs, a little too fast, grabbing a funnel cake of his own. ]

It's fine! We make them fresh every day, and most of the leftovers get thrown out, and anyway, you're a superhero! [ Like that's explanation enough. ]

Well, geez, I mean, if you gotta get rid of 'em I'd be happy to help out with that. Waste not want not, right? [Plus it's an excuse to come visit Dick. Not that. That's a pressing concern or anything..........]

Very heroic of you.

[ He grins teasingly, elbowing Kid Flash lightly in the ribs... and hoping that it isn't too familiar. It's just, well, he's so easy to talk to. Approachable. Someone Dick could actually be friends with.

Dick's a performer. He knows what it's like to have a stage persona, and this is probably Kid Flash's. Putting people at ease has gotta be par for the course for a superhero, right? He's probably like this with everyone.

Still feels nice, though. ]

Thank you, thank you. I try. I do my part. [KF grins and there's powdered sugar all around his mouth because he's a slob, but then Dick drags him over to some corndogs and some popcorn and Jesus, are those elephant ears? And they talk about idiotic things, and their lives are so different but somehow they find things in common and they're walking down the center strip as everybody is packing up and KF's wrist beeps.]

Oh crap, it's eleven. I was supposed to be home half an hour ago.

Already?

[ Dick utterly fails to hide the disappointment on his face. He'd been having such a good night, and thinking, okay, maybe they really can be friends, even though Kid Flash is Kid Flash and why would he wanna hang out with some non-headlining circus kid, anyway? He might be crazy, but he really thinks he feels something.

So he has to try. ]

... Look, if you ever wanna come and see the show — and I mean the whole show, no fire, no explosions, no getting sorta-eaten — just tell 'em you're with me. They'll hook you up with the good seats.

What, show up in this? [KF gestures to his costume.] Nah, I don't wanna draw any attention. But- I mean, is it cool if I come afterwards? To visit. And, y'know, help with clean up.

Well, you could show up as just... you know, whoever. I won't ask and I won't tell anyone why, so you can keep your secret—

[ Wait. ]

Really?

[KF's jaw clenches when Dick presses on the 'showing up unmasked' issue, readying himself to say no and not come back, but then Dick looks surprised and Kid wonders if they had a crossed wire somewhere.]

Um. Really what? Really, can I come back afterwards?

Seriously? You actually wanna come back to visit? Not to see the show? Just... to hang out?

[ If he sounds dumbfounded, it's because he is. He's waiting for the clarification: what Kid Flash really meant, what he actually wants to see. Because — what? ]

Well...I mean, yeah. [KF rubs the back of his neck. Did he misread?] Didn't you have fun...?

No! I mean— yes, of course I had fun, are you kidding? I haven't had this much fun in... I don't know. Ages?

... I just didn't think, you know... [ He grins, sheepish. ] You're a superhero. Figured you'd have cooler stuff to do.

Oh yeah man I have so much cooler stuff than to hang out with a trapeze artist at a circus and get free food. Yeah there's like...homework. Or staring at my wall. Lot of staring at my wall to do.

[ ... Kid Flash has homework?

WEIRD. ]

So... can I [ oh jeez ] give you my number? So you can give me a heads-up before you drop by? I'll have 'em do something special for you next time.

[nuMBER]

Wh- yeah sure, definitely. I mean- I'd give you mine but it's...y'know, but yeah. Yeah, I'll take yours. Got a pen? [KF strips off his glove and holds out his palm for Dick to write on and tries not to think about how romcom that is.]

Um—

[ hand ]

Back in my trailer. If... you wanna come? Or I can just...

[ FLUSTERED HAND GESTURES ]

[trailer]

S... [...gonna do it. GONNA GO FOR IT. Kid Flash always goes for it.] Sure. Inviting me back to your trailer already, huh? Racy. [FLIRTING IS SO MUCH HARDER WHEN YOU ACTUALLY KIND OF SORT OF LIKE THE PERSON YOU'RE FLIRTING WITH]

—haha! I swear, I don't usually do this kind of thing on the first date...

[ OH GOD WHAT DO I EVEN DO if i turn now he won't see me blush okay good ]

[This is...not as difficult as KF expected? REALLY AWKWARD OK, but like...fun also. Is he flirting with him? Like, purposefully? It's just for fun anyhow, no need to over-analyze it.]

Yeah, considering the tights and the glitter I'm not sure I believe that.

Hey! [ his voice just cracked. that wasn't cool at all. nooooo ] I'm not teasing you about your uniform.

[ His trailer isn't far. The lights are still on inside, and Dick holds the door open when he's in even though there isn't much of a point. It's— he's being a gentleman! For... reasons.

The walls are covered with posters and newspaper clippings. Some are clearly from the circus — a Flying Graysons advertisement hangs over his dresser, the corners peeling. But newer ones highlight the Justice League's exploits: sightings of the elusive Batman, Superman flying high above the skyscrapers in Metropolis, newspaper stories about the younger heroes... and, next to his bed, a poster that Wally might recognize from the Flash Museum: Kid Flash in action, a wide grin on his face, a bolt of lightning behind him. ]

... so, this is it. Home sweet home.

[KF can't take in enough. The posters, brilliantly colored and- is that his family's poster? And there are newspaper clippings of the circus and the League, even a magazine article about Batman -not an interview of course- and the story about how Batman had caught Tony Zucco.

...wait, is that-]

Dude. Do you have a poster of me by your bed?

[ So much for not blushing. Dick watches him take it in, and thinks: maybe he shouldn't have done this. Maybe he'll think it's creepy or overzealous. Maybe he'll think he's a stalker or something — which is stupid, since Kid Flash is the one who tracked him down, isn't he?

Play it cool, play it cool... he shrugs. ]

Yeah. I was gonna ask you for a photo or something, but I didn't wanna be that guy, you know? So I stopped by the Flash Museum before we left Central. I figured, next best thing.

Are you trying to play it cool with me right now?

Haha, what? I don't have to play it cool. I'm always cool.

[ SMOOTH. Except for the part where his voice cracked. ]

Sure, cool guy. [KF wanders closer over to Dick's bed to lean over and look at the poster.] I don't even remember doing any photoshoots or anything for these. I think they just ended up lifting a photo from the news papers and photoshopping it. [Yup, definitely looks like that. Which is cool, not like he wanted to get paid for it or get royalties or anything, he signed a waiver when they asked if they could feature him in the Flash museum.] You kiss it goodnight?