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[So this...whatever they had going on, it's complicated. That's what Wally tells himself when their teammates give he and Robin weird looks, when Batman seems like he's glaring even though Wally can't tell the difference between a stare and a glare from old Bats, when his uncle's hand rests on his back and Wally thinks they just have to know.

But he's not ashamed. He's just- he doesn't know how to explain it yet. Parents first. Everyone else second.

They finally got the okay for Robin to spend the night at Wally's, which is a rare occurrence indeed. Unfortunately, Wally's parents aren't home so it's become very awkward. Usually they just hang out, do the same thing they always do with the occasional bout of discomfort but without parents? Well. Wally's not under the delusion that anything's going to happen -they haven't even kissed yet- but it's still- it's weird. It's like back in middle school when he went up to Sandy Hartford's room and he thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend, but apparently you have to clear that with the other person first.

It was. It's weird. Because now he's looking at Dick like he looked at Sandy, and his stomach is in knots like it was with Sandy, but it's different because it's more and that just makes it weirder.]

...Mom just went shopping, there's probably like...Cheetos or something downstairs.

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[ The idea of not calling his best friend the second he gets home doesn't sit right with him, but he knows Canary's right. He needs to focus on himself before he deals with anything else. ]

Me time first. Got it.

Good. [Dinah won't shoo him away, but she knows Robin will probably slink off when she's not looking. The Bat family does love their mysterious disappearances.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried about him. When Batman had first introduced the boy to the League, everyone had been skeptical. Sidekicks weren't quite a thing yet, though Arthur had been making noise about the young scholars at his Queen's school and Ollie had been lamenting about how fighting in a team was so much better than going solo. So Batman -Batman, of all people- bringing a boy barely nine to the forefront and introducing him as his apprentice? His protégé?

Dinah had a few choice words for him. She knew what it was like to be young with powers, but crime-fighting in Gotham, in the spotlight as the partner to one of the core members of the current-generation League? She wasn't the only one who had problems with that. Diana had been less than pleased and John had been absolutely livid, which had surprised her. John Stewart didn't often lose his temper, unlike Hal and even less like Guy, but when he'd run into Batman patrolling in Gotham with a boy who barely came up to his elbow, he'd returned to the Watchtower ranting and raving about "child soldiers" and how this couldn't stand, how they had to bring Batman in and talk to him.

Superman had volunteered. And then Superman had come back, all sorrowful blue eyes, and had said that he agreed with Batman. After that, there wasn't anybody who could really argue it. If Superman said he'd do the same thing, well, the only way Batman could be any more validated is if Diana had agreed as well.

Even though Dinah had been likewise disturbed that they were employing children, she wasn't really able to say much. One day Ollie brought home a boy with red hair and more attitude than both of the Hawks, and Arthur brought to the surface a soft-spoken boy with the firmest handshake not of Krypton. She gave up being appalled when Flash had cornered her and wrung his hands as he asked what he should do, because his nephew had just blown himself up after finding his notes and not only was he alive, but he was quick.

The sidekick thing...it had swelled, all of a sudden. Heroes not in the League were finding children, special children or kids who needed guidance or help. And although something in Dinah wrenches when she sees the team stumble home holding broken bones or nursing bruises, even though her heart had hurt the first time Roy had cried out in pain on the field, she can't help but wonder if her own childhood would have been easier if she'd had someone to look after her.

And it all started with one small boy in the shadows.]

Robin... [she calls, hoping he's still lurking somewhere and can hear her,] ...have confidence in yourself. You've done so much more for the League than you know.

[And while she'll finish her sandwich before heading home, listening to the sound of the sirens and voices and traffic and wondering what it is about this city that seems to throw everyone and everything in it into the dark, she might make a few detours first. It's been too long since Roy last called.]

Edited 2014-06-20 16:44 (UTC)

[ Bruce is out when Dick finally gets home — cleaning up the tail end of a jailbreak — but Alfred had been waiting up for him. By the time he's changed out of his uniform and into pajamas, there's cookies and hot chocolate, and that makes everything a little bit better again. Do something you love, Canary had said, so Dick asks Alfred if he'd mind staying up with him for a while longer. The two of them stay up too late watching reruns of cartoons that are older than Bruce, and Dick thinks he even hears Alfred laugh a few times.

Dick hugs him before he goes to bed, partly because he needs it, but mostly because it's the best night he's had in a long, long time and he doesn't give Alfred enough credit for maybe being the most tirelessly heroic person he knows. And when he sleeps, he doesn't dream at all.

He wakes close to noon, sun peeking in through the gap in the thick curtains. It's been ages since he's slept in, longer than that since he's actually felt rested, and he's not sure what to do with all the energy. He wants to talk to Wally, he needs to talk to Wally, but... he should wait. Take care of himself. So he eats a late breakfast and goes for a run and showers, and he does feel better afterwards. And when that's finally done, he goes back to his room, sprawling on his giant bed and picking up his phone and sending off a text, hoping for the best. ]

Chirp chirp. You up?

[Wally's night is...weird. Very surreal. He decides to stay in the mountain instead of going back home, sends his parents a quick text to reassure them and heads off to the showers. He stands under the spray for almost ten minutes before he snaps out of it and washes up.

Of all the people he expected to try and comfort him, Conner wasn't one of them. Wally is sitting at the kitchen counter, slowly making his way through an entire tray of leftover baked ziti when Conner comes into the kitchen and sits down next to him with his own fork. They share.

He doesn't say anything, but Wally knows what he's not saying.

I get it.

Wally puts his head down on the counter and almost cries. Conner pretends not to notice and washes the dishes for him.

Black Canary comes back to talk to him long after the initial checkup when he'd first come back with the team. She reassures him that Robin is fine but it takes almost twenty minutes of silence to finally pry out the words he hadn't wanted to say. It had been raw and painful and he'd dug his nails into his arms, and two hours later when they both left the room he'd felt hollowed-out and tired, but better for it.

Wally didn't expect to get any rest that night, but when his head hits his pillow he's out like a light. And when he sleeps, he doesn't dream at all.

Barry takes him to run and it turns into an all-day excursion. Wally is halfway across the world when his phone buzzes, and when they slow and stop for a break Wally checks his messages. Barry has to convince him to look at it; he doesn't know what he's afraid of. Disappointment, mostly. Dick wanting to break up.

But it's the same stuff as ever. That cutesy little 'chirp chirp' (Wally is pretty sure that nobody loves all the bird jokes about Robin's name more than Robin himself) is so normal and so Robin that Wally is both relieved and terrified that it's just leading to up something more dire, like 'we should talk' or something like that.

He shoots back a text.]

im in peru

uncle b is getting us ceviche he says its awesome
he wont tell me what it is

[ Dick worries from the minute he sends the text. Was it too flippant? Should he have opened differently? He wants so badly for things to go back to normal, but he knows they need to talk first. And every second that Wally doesn't reply, he frets and frets and frets.

After what feels like forever, his phone beeps with the incoming message, and he has to read it twice to make sure it's not something more, something worse. And then Dick smiles, soft and fond, rolling onto his back. It's good that he's with Barry, probably. He's so solid and so normal that anyone would feel better around him. ]

You're gonna love it.
No spoilers.

u bastard it better not be goat guts or something

[Wally paces around so his legs can stop shaking. They ran fast, really fast, and Wally was faster than he was before which makes him both excited and horribly anxious. He can't forget not being able to slow down that night he caught Robin.]

r u okay dude [He adds the 'dude' impulsively, because it makes it just casual enough to not hurt so bad. There's a cluster of boulders nearby and Wally parks himself down on one of them, ignoring how the rest of his body's slowed down but his heart is still hammering away behind his ribs.]

[ Somehow the casual tone just makes Dick worry again, like he can hear Wally pacing all the way in South America and trying to sound like he's not still freaked. ]

I'm fine. Are you?

[ He hesitates, then adds, hoping it won't sound too much like something terrifying: ] Can we talk when you get back? In person?

Crap... [Wally moans as he runs a hand down his face and responds.]

r we braking up

[ Dick's heart stops for a long second, and he can't type fast enough. ]

Not that kind of talk!

unless
you don't want to, right?

[ If he was already thinking it... ]

NO NO NO I DONT

[Wally throws himself back onto the boulders and groans, kicking his feet a little. Barry returns and asks him what's wrong before handing him his food.]

its raw fish
do i look like a dolphin to you
ill eat anything but it could at least be cooked 1st

[And then a few seconds later:]

oh wow actually this is really good

[ Dick lets out a breathless, relieved laugh, covering his eyes with an arm while he regains what's left of his composure. ]

You scared the crap out of me.

And I told you so.
Flipper.

EXCUSE
U SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME FIRST

jerk

[The ceviche is just to taste, because speedsters need a lot of food when running across the ocean -bad idea to stop, after all- and some raw fish no matter how good just isn't going to do it. So Barry sets out a spread on a picnic blanket and Wally joins him, and he keeps his phone on his knee and ignores the grins Barry sends his way as he texts Robin back.]

yeah we can talk ill probly be back 2nite

[ Dick finally relaxes. At least teasing each other is way more normal than the walking on eggshells they've both been doing for the last few weeks. ]

Cool. Just let me know when you're back, okay?
Tell Barry I said hi.
And pet a llama for me while you're down there.

[ And then, impulsively, because he's panicked them both quite enough for one day: ]

( ˘ ³˘)♥

svkjsdfj ur so dumb
if you tell anyone i did this i will deny it but
x*

[Wally's phone goes back into his pocket. He needs to run around like a MANLY MAN god did he seriously just text his- his- Robin a kissing emote oh god he did

Barry gives Wally a bewildered look when Wally starts shoving him back onto the path, stuffing the blanket into his backpack, face completely scarlet.

Seven hours later and Wally's back home and exhausted. He stumbles out of the shower, face-down onto his bed and lays for a moment. His legs are sore and he's tired, but it's good. He feels so tired it's almost like he can't feel anything anymore, which is preferable to feeling scared or anxious or guilty. So that's good.

It takes him a little while, but he manages to snag his phone and text wearily,]

yo im back

[ Dick's been pacing all day long, full of enough nervous energy to run through his high bar workout twice. He checks his phone impulsively every fifteen minutes or so, just in case he somehow had a temporary fit of deafness and didn't hear the text alert go off. And finally, finally Wally texts him back, and then Dick's bolting up the stairs to his bedroom, slamming the door, hurling himself onto the bed, and calling him.

Maybe it's sentimental, but he wants to hear Wally's voice.

And as soon as he picks up, before Wally can get a word out, Dick's greeting him. ]

Did you bring me a llama?

As I recall, [Wally says into his pillow, so maybe Dick can't even hear him properly,] I was just supposed to pet one for you. Which I did. I even did your creepy little giggle so it was like you were really there.

[ Dick can translate face-full-of-food Wally to English. A pillow is nothing.

He exaggerates an affronted pout. ] My giggle's not creepy.

You've never heard it come out of the dark when you thought you were alone in a room. [Wally rolls onto his side and hey, he's less tired, less achy, and he has a good idea as to why. Just hearing Dick's voice is enough.] ...did you want me to go there? Since. In person and all.

You don't have to if you're tired. You did just kind of run halfway around the world.

[ He stretches out on the bed, curling one arm around a pillow. ] I could come to you, if that's cool with your folks. Either way, there's Alfred cookies...

[Wally sighs.] If you come here instead of making me go there I will kiss you.

[...wait] Y'know, that offer's lost a lot of its charm since we started making out on a semi-regular basis.

[ A beat, and Dick laughs, quick and surprised. ]

I dunno, dude. I'm still pretty charmed.

...Well then get over here. [was that coy maybe it was coy oh god wally doesn't do coy but it just came out of his mouth anyway]

[ Apparently it's working, and boy is Dick glad Wally can't see it, because he's pretty sure he's blushing pink. ]

See you in a half hour, dork.

[ Dick throws a change of clothes in a backpack in case he ends up staying the night — not expecting anything, but just in case, just in case — and packs up some of Alfred's chocolate chip cookies. He knows all the best shortcuts to and from the zetas he uses on the regular, and that includes the one in Central by now.

If he times it right, he thinks he might be able to make it to Wally's doorstep before he'd leave to pick him up, and the rush'll be worth it for the look on his face. ]

[Wally hears footsteps out on his front porch and it takes him the second between Robin arriving and knocking on the door to make it downstairs, yank open the door and drop a kiss right onto his mouth.]

Told you I would.

[Wally tries to play it off with a cocky grin but he ends up just hanging onto the door frame, leaning out and over Robin -which is getting more and more difficult as Robin grows taller and taller- and smiling nervously.]

I know we're supposed to be serious, but I couldn't help it.

[ That... catches him off guard. He ducks his head, letting out a soft little laugh, and grins up over the rims of his sunglasses. Speedsters, Dick thinks fondly, and the uncertain smile on Wally's face makes something in his chest snag. He leans up, and he doesn't even to get on his tiptoes to give Wally a return kiss on the cheek. ]

Not too serious for that, okay?

[ And it sounds almost like it's a joke, except for the utterly earnest little waver in his voice, too soft for anyone who doesn't know him inside and out to hear. ]

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