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[ The audience goes wild as Haly's Traveling Circus begins its three-ring opening act extravaganza. The performers swarm the floor in a choreographed riot of colors and music, and Dick just knows he's gonna get lost in the crowd.

When's Jack gonna give in and let him have his own aerial act? The accident was five years ago. He's ready. He's got a routine worked out and everything. All he needs is a chance.

Not that he's ever gonna get one as long as he's stuck doing boring old handsprings through boring old flaming hoops all the way over in the third ring. Total baby stuff. He could do this in his sleep. He catches two juggling clubs mid-double-backflip, spins once more in midair, sticks the landing, and the crowd goes nuts. Okay, that felt pretty cool, maybe it was more impressive than he'd —

... Or maybe the elephant's stealing the show. Aw, come on, Zitka... ]

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A-ah, right. Good. Great.

[ he wasn't thinking about going in for the kiss or anything nope ]

Hey, there's a sign over there. Looks like... [ He squints through the dark. ] Waterfall? Maybe? I dunno, you blinded me with that thing. Shine the light over there, c'mon.

Drama queen. [KF shines the light onto the sign and indeed, it says waterfall.] Righto, guess this is the way we wanna go. Illegal hiking, man. We are such rebels. [He takes Dick's hand again though, even though he doesn't need to, and together they start down the path.]

[ Dick lets out a quiet laugh, tangling their fingers together and squeezing his hand. ]

I'm not being set up, am I? Is this some kind of undercover operation? Because I'm pretty sure that's entrapment.

Is that a real law? I've never heard of that. [So cheerful about kidnapping and entrapping a fourteen-year-old acrobat from the circus.] Besides, I think that would only count if you didn't want to help me with an undercover operation. Which you totally would, right?

Why? Is that gonna be date number two?

Or three or four. Or five, I dunno; we've got a lot of date planning to do, might as well get sta-WHOA- [KF slips on a moss-covered rock, almost yanking Dick down with him.]

Hey—!

[ Dick's tiny, but he has good reflexes and he can keep his footing like a mountain goat. Still holding onto KF's hand, he manages to at least keep him from totally faceplanting into the path. Shoulder might hurt, though. ]

[who gives a fuck about his shoulder, dick totally just saved him from flopping down a mountain path. KF pulls himself upright with Dick's help and holds out the flashlight to him.] Maybe you should have this instead. Lead on.

Yeah.

[ His heart's hammering like he's the one who almost tripped, and he rests a hand lightly at the small of Kid Flash's back. ]

Careful, okay? Don't get distracted by how cute I am or whatever.

[Dick's hand presses against his back right above the base of his spine and KF wonders if he could possibly go into cardiac arrest from how hard his heart is pounding. His legs feel like warm rubber and electrified steel. His fingers clench into fists and make the material of his gloves squeak.

He wants to kiss him. Wow he wants to kiss Dick Grayson.]

...what? [ALREADY GOT DISTRACTED] Oh. Sure, right. No distractions, no matter how cute you are.

Let's at least make it to the waterfall.

[ Dick slides his arm fully around KF's waist, fingers wiggling on the yellow spandex just above his hip. He does an admirable job of ignoring the squirming in his stomach and the way his skin feels sort of flushed all over.

The soft roar of the water gets louder as they head up the trail, until finally, they round a corner and the waterfall comes into view. It's dark, but with the moon nearly full and the stars overhead, the water's softly illuminated in a way that Dick wasn't sure actually happened outside of movies. ]

Aren't you glad you didn't slip and break your neck now?

Y'know, I'm the one who planned this romantic date. Even if you're the one who got us here. [KF's arm around Dick's shoulder squeezes him closer to his side, and he grins down at him.] And guess what? I brought something even more awesome than wine. Caprisuns.

Capri Suns?

[ Dick's eyes go wide and his face all mock-serious as he steps in front of KF and rests a hand delicately on his chest. ]

Marry me?

[oh you've done it now grayson

KF can't help himself. He takes Dick's face in his hands, leans down and kisses him. God help him too, because it's all closed-mouthed and chaste, and only a little bit lingering but mostly a relief, like finally letting out a breath held for way too long.]

[ Dick makes a soft little sound, his fingers curling right over the Flash symbol on KF's chest. He can feel his heartbeat, and he thinks his own must be just as fast, with the way it feels like it's trying to pound right out of his chest. His eyelashes flutter, and he feels like— like he's weightless, floating, flying. ]

[It's like when he goes so fast, the ground is barely beneath his feet. When the friction of the air and the water is enough to propel him forward, when his arms are pumping at his sides and his breathing is so loud in his ears, and he's going so fast it feels like he's going so, so slow.

KF pulls back, still cupping Dick's face, eyes still closed and their noses still brushing.]

...wow... [So he leans in again.]

[ It's not Dick's first kiss, but it's the first one that's felt like this. Maybe it's because of the atmosphere, maybe because it's the first time it's actually been romantic instead of just dumb kids fooling around, or maybe because he's already head-over-heels for this guy in a way he'd always kind of doubted was actually possible.

Whatever it is, he thinks he'd be okay if they never actually got around to having those Capri Suns. ]

[Against his better judgement, KF does eventually draw back, and he licks his lips like he's expecting them to taste different. They don't, they just taste like lips usually do, but wow he's tingly all over.]

...so that was awesome. [He should probably stop holding Dick's face, it's getting a little weird. Yeah, disengage. Okay.]

[ Dick can't stop grinning, and he pulls his hands back for a moment, only to take Kid Flash's and squeeze them. ]

I'm all lightheaded, [ he admits, with a laugh. ]

[KF laughs too, just under his breath. His thumbs run over Dick's knuckles as he bows his head.] Yeah, me too. Wow. I've kissed some people before but it's never felt like that.

Really?

[ He grins, heart pounding again, and rocks up on his tiptoes to kiss KF right on the tip of his freckled nose. ]

Maybe it's contagious.

[Kid Flash ducks his head to meet him, nudging his chin up to kiss him again. Zing. Jeez, that's not even getting old, this is so awesome, so incredibly cool. His arms go around Dick's waist, bunching up that ridiculously huge sweater.]

Are you saying you've kissed a bunch of other people too? Dang.

Maaaybe.

[ Not even close, but he's grinning like it might be true. ]

They didn't count. They weren't you.

Man. You're really trying to reel me in, huh? Is this your game? [KF leans down to interrupt him with a kiss. And again.]

MmmIdunno, am I winning?

[ This is nice, this whole talking and kissing thing. Really works his multitasking skills. ]